ROOSEVELT APPEALS TO DICTATORS

Southland Times, Issue 23794, 17 April 1939, Page 7

ROOSEVELT APPEALS TO DICTATORS

PROMISES OF PEACE REQUESTED Guarantees To 30 States GERMANY EXPECTED TO REJECT PROPOSAL (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright) (Received April 16, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 15. The President of the United States (Mr Franklin D. Roosevelt) yesterday called on Herr, Hitler and Signor Mussolini to give assurances that they planned no more marches on in»

dependent nations in Europe and the Near East.

' Mr Roosevelt in his message said that war was harmful to victors and vanquished alike and asked the dictators for a pledge not to attack Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Britain and Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Yugoslavia, Russia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, the Arabian States, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Iran.

If a favourable reply is received Mr Roosevelt will ask the dictators to pledge themselves not to go to war for 10 years and will ask other States for reciprocal guarantees to Italy and Germany. Later he will call an international conference to reduce armaments and to settle political disputes. The Independent Cable Service says it is semiofficially stated at Munich that Herr Hitler will turn down the proposals. A German spokesman said that Germany would never allow herself to be duped as she was once before by President Wilson’s Fourteen Points. He added: “Mr Roosevelt first stirred up fear of war; now he is playing the opposite game and is adopting President Wilson’s role. As long as Bolshevism is treated as an equal partner Germany is unable to sit at any conference tables.” Diplomatic! circles in Berlin are interested in the fact that Danzig is not mentioned in Mr Roosevelt’s message.

The German public learned of Mr Roosevelt’s message through the British Broadcasting Corporation’s German language broadcast. The official text is not known to Wilhelmstrasse officials because the message reached Herr Hitler direct.

BRITAIN DEEPLY IMPRESSED American Effort To Avert Catastrophe GUARANTEES FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS (British Official Wireless) (Received April 16, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, April 15. The personal messages which were sent last night in identical terms to Herr Hiller and Signor Mussolini by Mr Roosevelt have created a deep impression in London. Simultaneously with the release of the message for publication at Washington a copy was supplied to the Foreign Office and by that department communicated at once to the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) at Chequers and the Foreign Secretary (Viscount Halifax) in Yorkshire. Mr Roosevelt’s message asks Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to pledge themselves not to attack by force of arms any territory, colony or protectorate of 30 independent States in Europe and Asia which are enumerated. Significant passages in the message include the following: “I previously approached you on the subject of a settlement of political, economic and social problems by peaceful means and without recourse to arms, but the course of events appears to have brought back the threat of arms. If this threat continues it seems inevitable that a great part of the world will be engulfed in general ruin. The entire world—victorious nations, defeated nations and neutral nations—will suffer. I refuse to believe that the world i ; necessarily fated to such a destiny. On the contrary, it is clear that the leaders of great nations have the power to free their peoples from imminent danger. It is equally clear that in their spirit and in their heart the peoples themselves desire that their fears should end. NO LONGER FREE “It is, however, necessary unfortunately to take into account recent events. Three nations in Europe and one in Africa have seen the death of their independence. Vast territory in another independent nation in the Far East has been occupied by a neighbouring State. According to persistent rumours, which we hope will prove illfounded other acts of aggression are reported to be contemplated against other independent nations. “To speak clearly, the moment is approaching when this situation must end in catastrophe unless a more rational method of managing events is found.” Mr Roosevelt asks whether Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini are willing to give assurances that their armed forces will not attack the now independent nations which he mentions. "Such assurances clearly must apply not only to the present day but also to a future sufficiently long to give every opportunity to work by peaceful methods for more permanent peace. I therefore suggest that you construe the word future to apply to a minimum

period of assured non-aggression—lo years at least, and a quarter of a century if we dare look that far ahead. If such assurances are given I will immediately transmit it to the governments of the nations named and I will simultaneously inquire whether, as I am reasonably sure, each of the nations enumerated will in turn give like assurance for transmission to you.” “Nothing will persuade the peoples that one Power has the right or the need to inflict the consequences of war on its own people and others unless it is defending its own territory,” says Mr Roosevelt. “We Americans speak not in selfishness, fear or weakness, but as statesmen and out of love for the human race. I have always been convinced that international problems can be solved round the table. “You will not misunderstand the frankness in which I send this message. Heads of governments, in this hour literally responsible for the fate of humanity in coming years, cannot fail to hear their peoples’ prayers to be

protected in the unforseeable chaos of war. History will hold them accountable for the lives and happiness of all, even the least. I hope your answer will make it possible for humanity to lose fear and to regain security for many years to come.” ESSENTIAL PROBLEMS Mr Roosevelt proposes that if the assurances he suggests are given two essential problems should be discussed I in the resulting peaceful surroundings: I (1) Measures for progressive relief from the crushing burden of armaments. (2) Measures for opening up avenues of international trade to the end that every nation may be enabled to buy and sell on equal terms in the world market as well as possess an , assurance of obtaining the materials and products of peaceful economic life. Mr Roosevelt’s initiative came as a surprise to the British Government. Both Mr Chamberlain and Lord Halifax, on behalf of the Government, warmly appreciate Mr Roosevelt’s action and have authorized the issue of the following statement:

"The British Government learned with cordial approval of a message which was communicated last night to Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini by Mr Roosevelt and which has now been issued to the Press. The Government entirely endorses Mr Roosevelt’s estimate of the international situation. It believes that the statesmanlike initiative which Mr Roosevelt has been inspired to take offers a real opportunity of averting the catastrophe which overhangs Europe and which the Government is convinced is feared in every country. The replies from Germany and Italy must now be awaited. Britain for its part desires to express the firm hope that those replies will open the way to the other steps of which Mr Roosevelt speaks.”