PEACE APPEAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1939, Page 5

PEACE APPEAL

MADE BY AMERICAN PRESIDENT MESSAGE TO THE KING OF ITALY. USE OF GOOD OFFICES URGED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) WASHINGTON. August 2-1. President Roosevelt has appealed to King Victor Emmanuel of Italy to use his good offices to avert war. The President said the United States accepts as a fact that ail nations “have an absolute right to maintain their national independence if they so desire,” and added: “If that be a sound doctrine, then it must apply to weaker nations as well as stronger.” The President's new ‘effort to preserve world peace was announced by the State Department as Mr Roosevelt sped to Washing- ■ ton to take personal command of the situation. The United States Ambassador to Italy. Mr William Phillips, transmitted the appeal to the King. It went to no other country but Italy. President. Roosevelt said that it the idea of the independence of all nations were accepted, "this means peace because fear of aggression ends. The alternative, which means of necessity efforts by the strong to dominate the weak will lead not only to war, but to long future years of aggression 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 a 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 is addressed directly to the King and has not been sent to the heads of any of the other governments involved in the crisis. The Societaly <4 States (Mr Cordell Hull) said copied) were being sent to American diplomatic representatives in other European countries, which presumably will be given to tne Governments of those countries as a matter of information. The reason for President Roosevelt's selection of the Italian King as a recipient is not stated. Usually, when the use of good oilices is suggested, the suggestion is sent to some neutral government and not to one ol the puweis involved in the controversy. The President specifically said: "Were it pos-

sidle for your Majesty’s Government lo formulate proposals lor a pacific solution of the present crisis along these lines (peaceful conversations to consider political and territorial problems) you are assured of the earnest sympathy of the United States. the Governments of Italy and the United States can today advance those ideals of Christianity which of late seern so often to have been obscured." MESSAGE DELIVERED PROMISE OF CONSIDERATION. (Received This Day. 9.40 a.m.) LONDON. August 24. The Rome correspondent of the Associated Press of Britain says the American Ambassador delivered a personal message from President Roosevelt lo King Victor Emmanuel "on behalf of the maintenance of world peace." It is understood that King Victor Emmanuel promised consideration.