Evening star., 1933-05-16
Mr.. Roosevelt Calls for Peace.

Mr.. Roosevelt Calls for Peace.
In full keeping with the boldness and
RESPONSIVENESS which have character
tsed his program Of action in the purely
domestic field, President Roosevelt to-
day made a dramatic move for action
In the realm OF world peace. Address
ine himself by cable directly to the
heads of the fifty-four states particl-
pating In the World Economic Confer
encs and the Geneva Disarmament
Conference, he solemnly calls upon
them, In the name Of the American
people, without further delay, to agree
upon practical measures Of disarma-
ment" in order that "al OF us may
carry to victory our common struggle
against economic chaos
Throughout the message, which Is
practically without precedent in our in
tenational relations, Mr.. Roosevelt
urikes the note which has been insistent
and emphatic In all his recent appeals
to Congress. The note Is one which
stresses the grave importance of i'm
mediate action. The President leaves
no doubt that in his belief further pro-
crastination, such as has marked the
futility of the Geneva Disarmament
Conference to date, Is the certain FORE
runner Of world disaster. Mr.. Roosevelt
points out that such delay Is particu-
larly out of place in connection with
the World Economic Conference. This
conference" he says, will meet soon
and must come to its conclusions
quickly. The world cannot await de-
Nberations long drawn out" In the
same passage, the President reminds the
nations that what is required above
au Is to supplement individual domes-
tic programs for economic recovery by
wise and considered international ac-
ton" The day has gone, in other
words, Mr.. Roosevelt suggests, for eco
nomic nationalism.
Public opinion throughout the globe
3 certain to read paramount Importance
in the Presidents message into the pas
sases relating to armaments and ag-
gressive actions by military powers. The
world at the moment is almost trem-
bling In anticipation Of tomorrow
events In Berlin, when Chancellor Hit
Ter has convened his Reichstag In spe-
cial session for the avowed purpose OF
declaring Germany's determination to
b master Of her own destinies in the
field Of armaments. 1t goes without
saying that Mr.. Roosevelt mentions no
nation by name. But between the lines
Of his references to governments which
cherish the desire, disclosed or hidden"
10 enlarge their territories "at the ex-
pense Of a sister nation" 1t Is not DIM
cult to discern the particular govern
ment at which he is fitting. Certainly
no government in Europe today makes
% little q secret of its determination to
expand its borders at the cost Of neigh
bors as the Hitler government, which
long has thundered its purpose to de-
stroy the treaty of Versailles in order,
among other reasons, to restore to Ger
man sovereignty some Of the territory
Of which the Nazis consider the Reich
has been illegitimately despoiled.
The Presdent's references to Ger
many appear even more pointed in his
observations regarding the steps which
need to be agreed upon at once, II
definite and far-reaching disarmament
results are to be attained. The Presi-
dent says that 1t requires to be laid
down as Q condition precedent to such
achievement that mo nation shall in
crease its existing armaments over and
above the limitations of treaty obliga-
lions" AS all the world knows, the
demand Of Germany. which Herr Hitler
Is expected to reaffirm in stentorian
tones tomorrow, is that the armament
clauses Of the treaty of Versailles shall
forthwith and henceforward be re-
regarded as abolished and abrogated,
IN order that the Reich may stand on
Q level OF arms equality" with other
countries.
There Is not much room for doubt
that President Roosevelt has resorted
to this challenging gesture in order to
forestall what Chancellor Hitler may be
intending to tell the world twenty-four
hours hence. That the mere prospect
Of explosive utterance from the Nazi
dictator has sent q shudder through all
psace-loving and peace-craving peoples
has become evident since Herr Hitler's
plans became known at the end of last
week. With that sense Of psychological
ttmeliness Of which Franklin D. Roose-
vent during his ten weeks in office has
given 80 many notable manifestations,
the President of the United States OBJ
riously feels that not an hour Is to be
lost in calling mankind's attention to
the imminent peril by which its labori-
uusly constructed efforts for peace and
economic betterment are suddenly
faced.