Evening star., 1937-01-03
BLUM HOPES ROOSEVELT
MAY CALL PEACE PARLEY
Hitler Has Last Word on Peace or War
in Europe This Year-Mussolini
Sticks to Side Lines.

french, ne may decide TO turn down
FRANCOIS request and use Mussolini as
a face-seving device.
The energetic attitude of the Blum
cabinet is also considered significant
here. There is no doubt that before
Yvon Delbos, the French foreign secre-
tary, talked in no uncertain terms to
the German Ambassador in Paris. he
had obtained the full backing of the
British government.
French Follow General Policy.
The attitude of the French Is con-
sistent with their general policy. They
showed Hitler and the rest OF the
world a sword in one hand and an
olive branch in the other. They in
formed Der Fuehrer that sending Ger
man soldiers into Spain would force
the French government to back the
Madrid government with all its
in plain English,
means that French troops would
march into Spain to prevent the land
ing of German soldiers. On the other
hand they informed the Germans and
the other nations that they were ready
to enter into negotiations with all the
other powers to bring an end to the
present political tension. They even
indicated that Germany's colonial
claims might be taken into consider
alton at such a general conference.
This suggestion was meant for Amer
lean as well as for German consump-
ton.
Premier Blum has been more en-
thusiastic than any other European
leader about the possibility of q peace
conference under President Roose-
velt's wing, and he has not missed a
chance to show that his motives and
intentions are sincere.
He is willing to go to practically
any length and to make the utmost
concessions, if President Roosevelt
were to summon, or accept to particle
pate in. conference for the readjust-
ment of the world on a peaceful basis.
NJ Blum is the only French premier
who has been ready to go to war
because of his militant pacifism. He
knows, moreover, that the French peo-
pie will go with him. But he Is
equally willing to throw into the dis
card all the treaties, agreements and
compromises made by his predecessors
for the sake of a lasting peace.
The situation in Europe, as
Washington leaders see it at the
present moment, is as follows: Hit
Ter has the last word on whether we
r1,a ,.e Ia
is hesitant. He fears that Great
Britain may definitely turn against
him because of his violation Of the
Spanish neutrality agreement which
he voluntarily signed. But he fears
more that the United States may line
up morally with France and Great
Britain. Mussolini remains on the
sideline, prepared to travel q long
way with Der Fuehrer but somewhat
uncertain as to its future course in
case America takes side openly with
the democratic nations.
Blum is determined to fight or to
have a lasting peace. He Is willing
to go into an international gathering
and thresh out, not only the Spanish
civil war, but every other problem
which has made Europe, in recent
years. volcano ready to erupt.
u. S. Attitude One of Neutrality.
The attitude of the United States
is, of course, one Of strict neutrality.
If, by any chance, Hitler becomes
frightened and refuses to send CO..
900 Reichswehr men to Franco, the
administration hopes that this last
war scare was worth its cost because
it may pave the way for conference
out of which President Roosevelt hopes
to achieve lasting benefits.
Should Hitler, however, make up his
mind to 60 ahead on the present peril
GUS road, the first concern of the ad-
of Americas neutrality. OF course, the
White House and the State Depart
ment have a tender spot for the coun-
tries which are trying hard to main
tain the democratic ideals. But for
the time being, the administration will
do nothing but tender its sympathetic
wishes to the democratic countries.
The Congress is overwhelmingly behind
President Roosevelt in any neutrality
action he may want to take. But at
the slightest sign of an attempt to in
volve this country in a policy which
might smack of Intervention or even
friendly" neutrality, the President and
the State Department will find them
selves in the same position as in 1884
when the Senate turned down, by
large majority, this country's ad-
herence to the World Court.
The eyes of the Nation are turned
again on Congress, where new neu-
trality bill will be introduced before
January co. The question of giving the
President discretionary powers to place
embargoes in case of war will be
brought up again. The administration
hopes that this time Congress will be
more willing to trust the President with
such power. But in the light of what Is
happening in Europe today the chances
are that. while the new neutrality bill
will have more penetrating teeth than
the last one, the legislators will hest.
tate to give the President the wide
powers he Is asking of them.
tCopyright. 1879