Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, APRIL 17, 1939 IN THE INTERESTS OF PEACE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 April 1939, Page 6

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, APRIL 17, 1939 IN THE INTERESTS OF PEACE

ON two occasions within fortyeight hours President Roosevelt has made earnest efforts to relieve the tense situation in Europe. The first was in a stirring speech reported on Saturday in which was indicated a belief that the future of the United States was interwoven with that of Europe, and confidence that “we can help to avert the catastrophe which impends.” He also declared: “We have an interest wider than the mere defence of our sea-ringed continent, and know now that development in the next generation will so narrow oceans that our customs and actions are necessarily involved with Europe’s.” The President has now followed up that speech and all it implied with a personal appeal to Plerr Plitler and Signor Mussolini in the interests of peace. In messages couched in identical terms he asks the Dictators to pledge themselves not to attack by force of arms any territory, colony or protectorate of some thirty independent States in Europe and Asia, which are enumerated. Referring to the threat of further armed

intervention, President Roosevelt wrote impressively:

"If this threat continues, it seems inevitable that a great part of the world will be engulfed in the general ruin. The entire world—the victorious nations, the defeated nations and the neutral nations—will suffer. I refuse to believe that the world is necessarily fated to such a destiny. . .

"According to persistent rumours, which we hope will prove ill-founded, other acts of aggression are reported to he contemplated against other independent nations. To speak clearly, a moment is approaching when this situation must end in a catastrophe unless a more rational method of managing events is found.”

If the appeal is favourably received the President will ask the Dictators to pledge themselves not to go to war for at least ten years and other States will be asked to give reciprocal guarantees to Germany and Italy. In Britain and France, President Roosevelt’s appeal has met with unconditional endorsement and he is praised for his statesmanlike initiative. The British Government in an official statement expressed the belief that his proposal offered a real opportunity of averting the catastrophe which hangs over Europe, and the firm hope that the replies would open the way to the further steps of which the President speaks. World opinion, however, appears to be sceptical regarding the success of the appeal. Herr Hiller’s Attitude is believed to be revealed in the official Nazi newspaper which describes President Roosevelt’s message as “a miserable propaganda pamphlet.” FieldMarshal Goering s newspaper declares the message to be “one of the most cunning ever addressed by the democratic world saviours to the Axis Powers.” It adds: “Precisely when Britain is endeavouring to lead Bolshevism back into the European arena as a partner in the encirclement of Germany, President Roosevelt appeals to the nations who uphold order (Germany and Italy) to sit down at the conference table. Germany does not dream of swearing eternal peace to those who have engaged Moscow to fight against the Totalitarian Powers.” Other German journals are equally bitter, so that at the time of writing, the outlook is not at all hopeful. The “New York Times” may be correct in interpreting the mesage, not as an appeal “to the better nature and sense of responsibility which the Dictators do not possess” but as a warning “that if they resort to acts of aggression threatening the peace of the world, they will find the odds overwhelmingly against them.”

President Roosevelt’s activities, however, have not been confined to words. It is announced that the United States’ fleet, with the exception of a reinforced Atlantic squadron. has been suddenly ordered from the Atlantic to the Pacific. No explanation is given, but the move is believed to possess the highest significance. It is reported to be the result, at least in of intelligence reports that any new military developments in Europe might be coupled with action by Japan in the East Indies area. The three possible purposes advanced are: (1 ) Readiness for any eventuality in the Pacific in the event of war; (2) an effort to offset the position of the Berlin-Rome-Tokio axis in the event of Mr Roosevelt’s peace move being unsuccessful, and at the same time Dartly allaying British and French fears regarding the Far East; (3) a gesture toward relieving the European tension. The fleet’s dispatch to the Atlantic was regarded as a warning to Germany and Italy. If Japan has designs upon the East Indies petroleum and rubber, as Washington is reported to have been advised, the United States would be directly affected owing to the proximity of the Philippines. In any event the presence of the American fleet in the Pacific, following upon President Roosevelt’s announcement of his country’s preparedness to match “force to force,” will be welcomed in this part of the world. Reverting to the President’s appeal to the Dictators, an important point, as stressed in one of to-day’s cables, is that its effect will be to fasten the gujlt for starting the war—if it is started—firmly on Germany and Italy, a big consideration in moulding public opinion in America and elsewhere. Further developments will continue to be awaited with anxiety.