The Washington times., 1935-10-07
CITES DANGER
IN AFRICAN
CONFLICT
Sentiment May Shift
Involving America,
Says Ex-DiPIomat
Copyright. 1888. by International
News Service)


NEW YORK. Oct. 7 U.N.SO,
The United States stands in dan
ger of becoming involved in war as
long as there is a war going on in
Africa, or any place else in the
world, Col. Edward M. House told
International News Service today,
He declared that the best in
surance this country can take to
keep out of war is to maintain an
Army and Navy which will com
mand the respect Of world powers.
He said:
81 have never before seen such
overwhelming sentiment for
peace as there Is in this cOun-
try tOday-never. But how long
this sentiment will last, God
only knows. 1t might change
almost overnight.
"As long as there Is a war in
progress any place on earth to-
day there is danger that this
country may become involved
WARNS OF DANGER
Colonel House, who probably
knows more about the powerful
forces which drew America into
the World War than any other
man, and who was President Wood
row Wilson's most intimate ad-
wiser, fought these forces to the
end, broke a long-standing rule
of silence on public affairs to
warn of the dangers he sees for
this country in the seemingly re-
mote struggle between Italy and
Ethiopia.
Lean, astringent and II years
old now, the white-haired diplo-
mat and scholar appeared as keen
as in those days Of 1914 when
he foresaw the impending cataS-
trophe in Europe. He is still as
interested in peace-and as prac-
tical about it-aS he was then,
when his activities so impressed
Kaiser Wilhelm II that the Ger
man emperor said in his me-
moirS:
''The visit Of Colonel House to
Berlin and London in the spring
of 1914 almost prevented the
World War"
URGES LARGE ARMY
Colonel House sat in the book
lined study of his apartment look
ing out on Park Avenue as he
talked. Among the pictures on the
wall behind him was a large por-
trait of his old friend, President
Wilson, with an affectionate auto
graph. There was also a portrait
of the actor, George ArlisS, whom
the Colonel so strikingly reSem-
bles.
"WarS and the directions they
take once they are started are
almost unpredictable. That Is
why the best protection our
country can have against be-
coming involved in them is a
powerful Army and Navy to lend
our word authority.
When I went to Europe for
President Wilson in 1914 in the
interests of peace we had an
Army about the size of the New
York city police force. 1t was
held in utter contempt by the
European military. COnSe-
quentIy, the word of this cOun-
try carried little weight.
Gas / have said, there never
has been such complete and
overwhelming sentiment for
peace and against war as there
Is in this country today.
TALKED TO ROOSEVELT
81 mentioned this to Presi-
dent Roosevelt last spring. I
told him that even he, with his
immense pOpularity-he was
then at the height Of his pOpu-
larity-could not get this cOun-
try into war. He said he knew
thiS-but 1 doubted if he could
realize the full extent Of the
peace sentiment.
But we don't know when this
sentiment may change. / think
the feeling is strong for Ethi-
opia in this country at this time.
We don't know when that feel
ing will change either.
1--WE don't know what will
grow out of the ItalO- Ethiopian
war. If it spreads, God knows
what will happen.
Gas an illustration Of how
strong peace sentiment can
change almost overnight, look
at Great Britain and France
today.
Recently a member Of the
British House of Commons died.
He was a conservative. AS he
had been elected by a plurality
Of $4,000, his party felt conf.
dent of an easy victory in the
by-electiOn. Yet a Labor party
candidate won by 5000.
SHIFT IN ENGLAND
"There were other similarly
spectacular triumphs by the
Labor party. A friend Of mine
explained them. He said the
sentiment in England was so