FUTURE PEACE

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21035, 10 February 1940, Page 7

FUTURE PEACE

AMERICA MOVING NEUTRALS CONSULTED A MISSION TO EUROPE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 10, 11.15 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 President Roosevelt has announced that he is sending Mr Sumner Welles, Assistant-Secretary of State, to Europe for a personal survey of conditions in Italy, Germany, Britain and France. Mr Welles has been instructed to make no proposals or commitments in the name of the United States. The visit is solely to advise Mr Roosevelt and Mr Cordell Hull, Secretary of State, on present conditions in Europe. Mr Cordell Hull announced that informal diplomatic conversations have been begun with several neutral countries with a view to the eventual restoration of world peace on a sound and lasting basis. He added that the conversations would probably be broadened to include all neutrals.

The State Department emphasises that Mr Welles’ trip is not connected with Mr Hull’s statement the text of which views the effect of hostilities on neutrals and the nutrals’ evident desire for the eventual restoration of world peace on a sound and lasting basis for all nations. Informal diplomatic conversations have begun with neutral Governments, and will probably be continued with all neutrals.

It should be emphasised that the conversations involve no plan or plans, but are in the nature of preliminary inquiries relating to a sound international economic system, and simultaneously a world-wide reduction of armaments. Matters involving the present war conditions are not a part of these preliminary conversations, which may be extended to belligerents in so far as they involve these two common problems of future peace.