ANGRY COMMENT IN GERMANY

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

ANGRY COMMENT IN GERMANY

PRESS ATTACKS ON PRESIDENT “ROOSEVELT’S PUBLICITY ! STUNT” (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received April 17, 12.50 a.m.) LONDON, April 16. The reactions to Mr Roosevelt’s appeal indicate rejection by Herr Hitler. His newspaper, Volkischer Beobachter,, describes the message as “a miserable propaganda pamphlet,” and the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung denounces it as “pharisaical.” Other newspapers are bitter. Typical headlines are:. “Roosevelt Copies Wilson”; “Roosevelt’s Publicity Stunt”; “Roosevelt Directs Message to Wrong Address.” Field-Marshal Hermann Goering’s newspaper, National Zeitung, says: “Mr Roosevelt’s message is one of the most cunning ever addressed by the democratic world saviours to the axis Powers. Precisely when Britain is endeavouring to lead Bolshevism back into Europe as a partner in the encirclement of Germany, Mr Roosevelt appeals to the nations of 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 the totalitarian States.”

FULL SUPPORT OF FRANCE CHANCE FOR HITLER TO PROVE WORDS (Received April 16, 6.30 p.m.) PARIS, April 15. The Prime Minister of France (M. Edouard Daladier) published France s full and unconditional endorsement of Mr Rooseevlt’s declaration and informed the United States Ambassador to Paris (Mr William C. Bullitt) of it. The Note affirms France’s fidelity to the ideals of freedom with independence for all nations. It is considered that Mr Roosevelt’s' message is capable of completely transforming the international situation, being as important as his September messages, which are believed to have helped to stave off the danger of war. The President’s action has intensified the hope that a catastrophe will be averted. Le Temps declares: “Now is the moment for Herr Hitler to give outstanding proof of the will to peace with which he has always declared himself animated.” It adds that Mr Roosevelt’s is the most important peace move so far.

SENATE DISAPPROVAL OF STATEMENTS

REPUBLICAN ACCUSATION OF WAR HYSTERIA

WASHINGTON, April 14.

Senatorial displeasure at Mr Roosevelt’s utterances on foreign affairs was given an airing in the Senate, culminating in a resolution introduced by Senator H. S. Bridges (Republican), calling on the Senate to disapprove of “inflammatory” war statements by Mr Roosevelt and other officials. Senator W. F. George (Democrat) led the attack, using Mr Roosevelt’s Warm Springs farewell of “I’ll be back in the autumn if we don’t have a war” as his text. Senator George said that the declaration had aroused “genuine fear throughout the nation that somebody had afforded some encouragement to a distinguished English statesman (Lord Halifax) who today said that the United States was in full sympathy with Britain and shared fully the expressions which had just been made in the House of Commons by the British Prime Minister.”

Senator George added that he was resolved to vote against war and he was convinced that Congress would vote the same way. “It should be made abundantly clear to the European people that we do not propose to enter any European war,” he said.

Senator A. H. Vandenberg (Republican) , commenting on the imputation of American approval of the British course, said that any such action would have to come from a majority of the members of Congress before “it will have the slightest validity.”

Senator Bridges, in a statement accompanying his resolution, charged Mr Roosevelt directly with creating war hysteria. Senator R. R. Reynolds (Democrat) echoed the charge without specifically naming the President, adding: “The only people in the whole world who are excited about what is happening in Europe are the Americans. We are exercising ourselves because we cannot get into a war. We almost want to go to war.”