ROOSEVELT CALL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20025, 25 August 1939, Page 5

ROOSEVELT CALL

KING OF ITALY INFLUENCE FOR PEACE RIGHT TO INDEPENDENCE DUTY OF AMERICANS NEW YORK PRESS ADVICE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. August 25, 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, August 24. President Roosevelt appealed to King Victor Emanuel to use his good offices to avert a war. He said mat the United States accepted as a fact that all nations “have an absolute right to maintain their natibnal independence if they so desire,” and added: “If that be a sound doctrine, then it must apply to the weaker nations as well as the stronger ones.” The President’s new effort to preserve world peace was announced by the State, Department as Mr. Roosevelt sped to Washington to take personal command of the situation.

The United States Ambassador to Italy, Mr. William Phillips, transmitted the appeal to the King.

Mr. Roosevelt said that if the idea of the independence of all nations was accepted “this means peace because fear of aggression ends. The alternative, which means of necessity efforts by the strong to dominate the weak, wig lead not only to war, but to long future years of oppression on the part of the victor and to rebellion on the part of the vanquished.”

The President asked the King to have the Italian Government formulate proposals for the peaceful solution of the present crisis.

The message was a surprise appeal because it appeared to assume that the Italian Government was .not a direct party to the developing war crisis.

The message was addressed directly to the King and was not sent

to the heads of any of the other Governments involved in the crisis.

Mr. Cordell Hull said that copies were being sent to American diplomatic representatives in other European countries, which presumably will be given to the Governments of those countries as a matter of information.

The reason for Mr. Roosevelt’s selection of the Italian King as the recipient of the appeal is not stated. Usually when the -use of good 1 offices is suggested the suggestion is customarily sent to some neutral Government andl not one of the Powers involved lin the controversy.

The President specifically said: “Were it possible for Your Majesty’s Government to formulate proposals for ai pacific solution of the present crisis along these lines (peaceful convers at ions to consider political and territorial problems) you are assured of the earnest sympathy of the United States Government. Italy andl the United) States can to-day advance those 'ideals of Christianity which of late seem so often to have been obscured.”

The New York Times, in a leading article says: “If all appeals to reason fail and if war comes, it must lie clear to every American that, with Russia out and with the possibility that she may even support the Germans with supplies, our relation to ‘the conflict is materially and morally changed.

“At last there is a democratic front. Sham fronts are down and anti-democratic systems are on one side and the democracies on the other. Inevitably, we are more deeply engaged in the conflict. Not only will pressure on the United States be increased, but its responsibility will be greater. “With Russia definitely out, the Powers opposing Germany will be more dependent on this country. If war-comes we will be the only important source of supplies. This is really what the American people are forced to face in this crucial hour.”