AMERICAN ENVOY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24261, 1 April 1940, Page 7

AMERICAN ENVOY

MR SUMNER WELLES RECENT EUROPEAN TOUR STUDY OF CONDITIONS NO PEACE PROPOSALS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) WASHINGTON, Mar. 29. President Roosevelt, Mr Cordell Hull, and Mr Sumner Welles conferred, after which President Roosevelt handed the Press Conference a prepared statement: — “ Mr Welles was ser t to Europe to obtain information on existing conditions. He was neither authorised to make, nor did he make, commitments involving the United States, nor was he empowered to offer, and has not offered, any proposals in the

name of this Government. Pie has not received nor brought me any peace proposals from any source. The information he received will be most valuable to the United States in the general conduct of its foreign relations. It will be entirely confidential to this Government. The mission resulted, through personal contacts and conversations, in the clarification of relations between the United States and the countries visited. It will assist, in ceftadn instances, in the development of better understanding and friendlier relations.” _ Continuing, President Roosevelt said: “Although there may be scant immediate prospect of the establishment of any just, stable, and lasting peace in Europe, the information available to this Government as the result of Mr Welles’s mission will be undoubtedly most valuable when the times comes for the establishment of such peace.” President Roosevelt laid the statement on his desk and declared that the term “ immediate ” meant just what he said. It implied to prognostication of future prospects of European peace. li No one can foretell what may happen as the result of fast-moving events in Europe, he said.