RELIEF FELT IN AMERICA

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22520, 30 September 1938, Page 14

RELIEF FELT IN AMERICA

"GREAT HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT " DANGER OF WAR MAY BE AVERTED JAPAN APPROACHED IN MOVE FOR APPEASEMENT (UHITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPTRIQHT.) (Received September 29, 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 28. It is impossible to over-estimate the new sense of relief felt in America at the last-minute turn of events. Officials in Washington, no less than the people as a whole, are profoundly stirred by the reprieve which, it is devoutly desired, .nay be translated into a permanent or general appeasement. It is as yet impossible to determine exactly what part Mr Roosevelt's private plea to Signor Mussolini (the text of which has not been published because it was' a personal message) played in the bringing about of a four-Power conference. There is some belief that a previous consultation with the British Government underlay the President's step, and that the message was designed to arrive in Rome simultaneously with Mr Chamberlain's message to Signor Mussolini. The- State Department has declined to make further comment on the situation. It is undoubtedly a matter of considerable importance that American sentiment continues strongly to back Mr Roosevelt's messages to the. European leaders. There is such general unanimity on this that its effect must be interpreted as considerably furthering the possibility that the American people would show little hesitation in following Mr Roosevelt's leadership insofar as it may be dictated by a course of action growing out of the tense messages. Something of this feeling can be drawn from the opening sentence of the New York "Sun's" leading article, this newspaper being notoriously anti-Roosevelt in all other things: "The logic of Mr Roosevelt's rejoinder to Herr Hitler's Note is irresistible."

The Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" says that White House officials announced that the Munich conference "offers great hope and encouragement." The correspondent adds that for the first time for several days it was really believed that the grave danger of war could be averted. It was also disclosed that Mr Roosevelt was actuated to send his final messages through fear that Herr Hitler might order the march into the Sudeten areas to-day, and that the President's suggestion for a conference ":' ; includes, Poland and Hungary. ; rlt* is also 'confirmed that Mr .Cordell :Bull approached Japan in an effort to mobilise sentiment for peace. It is. hoped that the Munich conference will be followed by a larger "conference that will deal with the problem of general appeasement.

Mr Hoover's Support

The complete unanimity of sup- ; port for Mr Roosevelt was further illustrated when Mr Herbert !. Hoover, making a political address ' which is considered to be the bitterest attack he has ever made on Mr , Roosevelt, interpolated: "The efforts of: our Government to maintain peace deserve our full support. The President will find every Republican ; and every thinking person behind him in that effort. The President rightly urged negotiations as the way out." The chief Washington correspondent of the ."New York Times," Mr Arthur Krock, points out possible consequences or results of Mr Roosevelt's messages: "Suppose arguments arise at Munich in which Britain and France are unwilling to let Signor Mussolini mediate because of the Berlin-Rome axis. Suppose this should result in a joint request for the good offices of the United States under the Hague Convention. If we rejected such a request would we be charged with the responsibility for any disastrous consequences?" The Mayor of New York. (Mr F. H. La Guardia) issued a proclamation asking all residents in New York to pause for five minutes in prayer for the peace of, the world during the Munich meeting. DEMONSTRATIONS IN NEW YORK (Received September 29, 2 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 28. New York theatre traffic was jammed in Times Square and Broadway to-night by hundreds with banners bearing the words "Stop All Trade With Germany," "Save Czechoslovakia," "Quarantine Hitler," and "Democracies, Stick Together." BATTALION DIVERTED TO SINGAPORE (Received September 29, 9.30 p.m.) SINGAPORE, September 29. A battalion of the East Surrey Regiment disembarked here instead , of proceeding to Shanghai. * Singapore has been calm throughout the crisis, although the anti-air-craft defences have been speeded up and there has been a rush of recruits '