PLACING BLAME

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19915, 18 April 1939, Page 5

PLACING BLAME

AGGRESSOR NATIONS NEW YORK REMINDER WAR LESS LIKELY INDICATION OF RISKS (Elnc. Tel. Copyright—-United Tress Assn ) ’(Reed. April 18, noon.) NEW YORK, April 17. The New York Times, anticipating the rejection by Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini of President Roosevelt's peace appeal, comments that Mr. Roosevelt’s initiative could not properly be regarded as having failed if it merely failed to achieve something unachievable.

“The record of the dictators is too full of broken promises for a pledge to keep the peace by either to alter the fundamentals of tire present position,” continues the New York Times, "There is a more realistic standard whereby to judge the results of the President’s initiative. He has sought to identify unmistakeably aggressors in advance of war and to rally world ,opinion on ~jhe .side of the of aggression. 'He has accomplished both purposes.

“Moreover, he may have made an outbreak of war less likely througn his warning to the dictators that the risks involved would be greater than they may assume they are, greater because the victims of German and Italian aggression can count on at least immense moral support everywhere throughout the world."

Indictment of Policy

The New York Herald-Tribune comments: "It was no accident that the President’s message was so wordeci that if not accepted at its face value by the dictators it will stand as an indictment of their policy and as a powerful act of diplomatic policy, backed up by the recall of the United States fleet to the Pacific, for British and French coalition and as a warning to the Eome-Berlin axis and so as a practical contribution to the prolongation of pear; 'ey t).. y method, power politics, union the axis Powers have admitted to have validity.

“It may not succeed. It involves a certain though minimum risk of further American entanglement, but the maintenance of peace to-day is a matter of such importance to the United States as to the rest of the world that some risks seem plainly justified.”

DE VALERA DENOUNCED CLAIM OF NEUTRALITY CRAIG A VON EMPHATIC (Reed. April 18, 12 noon) LONDON, April 17. The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Viscount Craigavon, denounced the neutrality decision of the Eire Prime Minister, Mr. E. dt Valera, as “most cowardly, especially in view of the extraordinary generosity of Britain regarding the Anglo-Eirc agreement.

I repudiate most strongly any suggestion that we' should join a country where such an attitude prevails,” said Lord Craigavon. “They can remain neutral, but we know our duty and will amply fulfil It.”