Evening star., 1933-05-17
Roosevelt's Appeal Welcomed.


Roosevelt's Appeal Welcomed.
President Roosevelt's message to the
governments Of the nations Of the world
urging that steps be taken Immediately to
disarm, to preserve peace and to make
a success Of the coming London Eco
nomic Conference has been widely &C.
claimed both in this country and
abroad. Although 1t was launched at
psychological moment, when the arm,
conference at Geneva appeared headed
Tor the rocks and there was expecta-
ton Of the international political pot
boiling over in Europe, 1t is now dis
closed that the President has had In
mind such an appeal for the last four
months. That he seized the hour he
did in which to broadcast his message
to the world is regarded as an evidence
Of real leadership.
While the message was couched In
diplomatic language, the Presidents
proposals stand out In bold relief. From
his announcements 1t appears that the
United States Government is prepared
to play . more cooperative part In in
ternational affairs. In many quarters
a change In the American foreign policy
which has been one Of friendly iso-
lation-is expected, although the Presi-
dent made no suggestion that this coun-
try Is to become entangled In foreign
politics. He did recommend the adop-
tion Of the plan advanced by Prime
Minister Ramsay Macdonald Of Great
Britain at the Geneva conference, call
ing for drastic cuts in ornaments and
providing for Consultative pact" In
tho event Of aggressive and warlike
movement on the part Of one nation
against another.
The President went further. he
called for . new pact among the ma
tions to ban all aggressive weapons Of
war and for q promise that no nation
would send armed forces across it,
frontiers. The Kellogg BRAND multi
lateral peace pact already in existence
bans resort to war In the settlement OF
international disputes. The President
has no purpose Of piling one nom
aggressive pact upon another or pyra-
miding treaties that mean in the end
one and the same thing. And for that
reason 1t Is generally interpreted that
the administration is swinging over tc
international agreements which will, In
effect, put teeth into the treaties Of
non aggression.
That the United States Government
intends to practice what it breaches In
the event that such agreements as out
lined by the President can be effected
it is now disclosed that there will be nc
more landing of American Marines and
naval forces in Latin American coun.
tries. even for the protection OF the
lives and property Of American citizens
That Is to be the policy under a prom
ise not to send armed forces beyond
the frontiers. Where treaties exist look
ing to the duty Of troops on foreign
soil, no violation Of the proposed new
agreement would be found, however
For example, American forces now ir
China are stationed there In accordance
with definite treaty agreements.
The fact that President Roosevelt
sent his message direct to the presiden,
Of the Russian government, Kalinin
was interpreted by Senator Borah o.
Idaho and others as a virtual recogni.
tion by the United States of the Rus.
sian government. That this interpre.
tation was premature was disclosed al
the White House itself. The inciden,
Of the transmittal Of the message direct
to the Russian government, 1t Is said
stands by itself. Whether, however
the administration intends in the fu.
ture to recognize the Soviet government
Is an entirely different matter.
The Presidents message to the gov
ernments Of the world will be variously
interpreted In different lands. How
ever, the insistent note in the message
is his demand for action for peace and
economic recovery, not at some future
date but now. He has warned them
that the time has come for the nations
and their peoples to realize that they
can only go forward to peace and pros
perity through willing cooperation and
good will. And he has pointed out, too
that if the Geneva and London confer
ences are allowed to fail, the blame fol
failure will be placed by the world on
those who are responsible.