AMERICAN ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 August 1939, Page 5

AMERICAN ACTION

IN EVENT OF EUROPEAN WAR TREND OF OPINION INDICATED IN INSTITUTE POLL. PEACE MOVE BY PRESIDENT POSSIBLE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright NEW YORK. August 20. Seventy-six per' cent ol' 1 lie American public, now believe I lial t he United States will be drawn into a war against. Germany and Italy, according to the latest poll conducted by the American Institute of Public. Opinion. In 1937, 38 pei' cent thought so.

A striking feature is the discovery that the highest percentage holding this belief—7B per cent—has been found in the Middle West, which traditionally is isolationist. The survey is not an investigation of what Americans wish but of what they feel they must expect. The chief reasons given for involvement in war were that American sympathies are with Britain and France, disapproval of the Nazi and Fascist regimes, the American commercial ties with Britain and France, and fear of the democracies’ defeat. President Roosevelt will return next week from his holiday cruise on the Canadian coast. The Washington correspondent of the New York "HeraldTribune" says that it will not be surprising if Mr Roosevelt intervenes in Europe. He is known to be anxious to “fire another shot for peace," and if he can summon a peace conference or do something to push Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini off their balance and upset their timing he will consider the effort well worth the risk of being accused of meddling and war-mongering. AUSTRALIAN VIEW STRONG FORCES WORKING,. FOR PEACE. MELBOURNE, August 19. Sir Henry Gullett, Minister of External Affairs, stated today that the radio announcement from Bratislava practically meant that the status of Slovakia had become little better than that of Bohemia and Moravia, and had very little military significance. He added that in spite of the gravity of the international situation strong factors and forces were still working in the interests of peace. The danger of an early outbreak of war “lies in the very limited time which remains to Herr Hitler during the European late summer and autumn. If Herr Hitler is to strike this year he will strike now at any time.”