BREAK IN RELATIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 December 1939, Page 5

BREAK IN RELATIONS

URCiED DY PRESIDENT’S ADVISERS ALTERNATIVE ACTION LIKELY. DESIRE TO PROMOTE PEACE. WASHINGTON, December 2. Advisers are reported to be urging President Roosevelt to sever relations with the Soviet, which Mr Roosevelt and the State Secretary, Mr Cordell Hull, are considering. The latest supporter of an American diplomatic gesture is the former President, Mr Hoover, who is advocating withdrawal of the Ambassador in Moscow without a complete severance. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” stated yesterday that Cabinet has decided not to take action for the present at least to sever diplomatic relations. This is based first on the desirability of avoiding contributing to war psychosis in the United States and, secondly, that President Roosevelt should maintain relations with all the belligerents in order to keep an influential position, and exert prestige, thus facilitating peace whenever there was an opportunity. The “New York Times’ ” correspondent, Mr G. E. R. Gedye, in a message from Moscow, says he believes that a withdrawal of the United States Ambassador would open the RussianAmerican breach and strengthen Japan greatly in the Russian-Japanese negotiations.