NEUTRALITY HOPE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20032, 2 September 1939, Page 6

NEUTRALITY HOPE

AMERICAN STRAIN PROBABLE PARTICIPATION GENERAL BELIEF PRESIDENT’S LONG DAY GRAVE CABINET MEETING

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Sept. 2, 1.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Kept. 1. Bringing to a climax a long, tense day, President Roosevelt met the Cabinet late this afternoon to review the international ail nation and its possible effects on Jhe United States. Seven regular Cabinet members and three substitutes attended. The atmosphere was solemn and grave, just as it was earlier at the press conference, at which Mr. Roosevelt expressed the hope and belief that America could remain neutral. Mr. Roosevelt, at a press conference, said: “I hope and believe the United States can remain neutral. , The Administration will make every effort to assure this.” He declined to indicate when lie would reconvene Congress or the action he would take on the neutrality legislation. He announced the resignation of the Ambassador to Germany, Mr. H. R. Wilson, who has been in the United States for some time. President Roosevelt declined to indicate whether he would appoint a successor. The President’s manner toward the press contrasted sharply with his usual informality. He spoke slowly in a measured tone, and there was a complete absence of his usual joking banter. Mr. Roosevelt had been constantly at his desk since 2.50 a.m., when a telephone call from the Ambassador in Paris, Mr. Bullitt, aroused the President from his bed. I-Ie immediately telephoned to Mr. Cordell Hull, the Secretary of State, who hurriedly dressed and reached his desk at 3 a.m. In the meanwhile Americans generally arc displaying the same tense attitude which is so apparent in Washington. The newspapers’ street sales have enormously increased, and radio listeners have greatly multiplied. All programmes are interrupted constantly for the latest bulletins from Europe.

The American strain is increased by tiie wcllnight general belief that the United States will inevitably gb to the aid of France and Britain if needed in the event of tiie democracies declaring war. Even those violently pacifist have to concede that United States’ participation is probable in a long-drawn out conflict. The United States, as a neutral, received the first warning from Germany against violating neutrality in the air over Danzig and Poland. Neutral planes are “warned in their own interest against flying over the territories mentioned.” It is stated that the communication was forwarded from the Berlin Charge d’Affaires.

The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, announced that Britain replied formally that she would refrain from bombing civilians and unfortified cities so long as their adversaries refrained from doing so. Mr. Hull has been informed of a similar French reply. 'Despite Herr Hitler’s reply to Mr. Roosevelt asserting that the Fuehrer did everything in his power to produce a peaceful settlement, Americans generally are convinced that Germany and not Poland was the aggressor. Furthermore, the issues are growing steadily clearer here, that an increasing number of Americans now realise that the stakes involved in Europe will ultimately reach out to the United States. . Mr. Roosevelt has arranged to address the nation over the three major radio networks at 10 p.m., Eastern standard time, on 'Sunday. His talk probably will be informative in character and aimed at allaying any anxiety. It will outline the conditions rather than contain a discussion of the positive stops to be taken.

It is learned that Mr. Roosevelt will net take immediate action about applying the Neutrality Act or summon: 1 .:" Congress. The Navy Department formally notified all United States’ warships’ personnel throughout the world that Germany had invaded Poland and advising the navy to conduct itself under international law as a neutral.

The European situation brought a sharp market reaction. The New York Stock Exchange list experienced the widest decline since January early in the day, but a rush to buy “War Babies” in the last hour sent those issues soaring and caused the ticker to fail one minute behind. The boom in prime war commodities, sugar, wheat and copper, enlivened trading. Wheat and sugar rose to the

' mit cf fluctuation permitted. Steel, copper, chemical and aviation stocks climbed one to seven points. At Winnipeg wheat futures jumped the five-cent allowable limit in the first moments of trading, and remained at this point throughout the day. Sterling dropped sharply, closing at 4,2(1, compared with yesterday’s level of 4.34.