America Anxious, But Not Surprised

Northern Advocate, 17 March 1939, Page 7

America Anxious, But Not Surprised

NEW YORK, March 15

Hitler’s march into Bohemia is being followed by America with anxious attention, but without surprise. Such matters as-American investments in Czechoslovakia, and the reciprocal treaty under which a large international trade is carried on, and Czech bonded debts of , 169,000,000 dollars held in America, gave the development a practical .aspect of an immediate nature, but these are overshadowed momentarily at least from the popular viewpoint. No Official Reaction. The day’s developments have not brought any indication of official reaction, save the observation by the Assistant-Secretary of State. Mr Sumner Wells, that President Roosevelt is keeping in the closest touch With the situation.

Unofficially, however, it was emphasised that the occurrences of the past 24 hours would only hasten the revision of the Neutrality Act, with a possible cash-and-carry basis for munitions traffic assured in the interests of the democracies, and the hastening of the United States rearmament pro- . gramme. World Temporarily Gone Mad. The viewpoint of Congress was expressed by a member of the House of Representatives, who said: ? “We are living in a world temporarily gone mad. Here in America it is our duty to do everything we can to defend the principles for which Czechoslovakia has been destroyed.” Various German-American Bund headquarters held victory celebrations,. and the police had to rally to the support of a meeting of the socalled Racial Tolerance Society in Philadelphia, which was broken up by Nazi hoodlums. These latter events have concentrated attention on certain other aspects of the Czech situation, namely, the fate of racial, religious or intellectual minorities. At least one newspaper, the influential “New York Daily News,” advises the United States to “relax the immigration laws and allow the United States as large a proportion of these people as we fairly can be called on to receive, if not larger, for the sake of plain human decency.” Argentine Deal With Germany. The announcement that the Argentine has just concluded an enormous barter deal with Germany has added another detail concerning what part the United Stales must play in combating the totalitarian States. Germany will take wheat to the value of £7,000.000, in return for which Argentine will receive motor vehicles, railway equipment and other machinery.