Evening star., 1938-09-10
PRESIDENT DENIES
CRISIS LINKS i. S.
Reports of Obligation to Help
Stop Hitler Held About
100 Per Cent Wrong.'
By the Associated Press.

100 Per Cent Wrong.'
By the Associated Press.
ABOARD PRESIDENT ROOsE-
VELTS TRAIN EN- ROUTE TO
ROCHESTER. Mimi, Sept. 10.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt said at q press con-
ference late yesterday that interpre-
tations that the United States was
morally linked with European de-
mocracies in stop Hitler" movement
were about 100 per cent wrong.
Shortly before his departure from
Hyke Park for the Mayo clinic in
Rochester, MINI, where his son, James,
will be operated on Monday for a gas
trio ulcer, the President was told by
reporters that such an impression had
been growing as a result of recent ut
terances by himself, Secretary of State
Cordell Hull and William c. Bullitt,
Ambassador to France.
He replied that speaking Of impress
sions meant speaking of interpreta-
tions by columnists and others. These
interpretations, he said, had been about
100 per cent wrong regarding tn in
ternational situation.
Press Attitude Hit.
He said a portion Of the press had
been behaving badly in their treat
ment Of this country's foreign policy
by approaching it from 4 political
point Of view,
AS q result, he said this section Of
the press had been giving false i'm
preston. He did not specify any par
ticular publications.
Informed that Ambassador Bullitt
recently was reported to have stated
that the United States would stand
with France in peace and war, Mr..
Roosevelt said that both Mr.. Bullitt
and the American Embassy in Paris
had denied he made such a statement.
Mr.. Roosevelt suggested that this
country's foreign policy could be as
certained by reading the English Ian
guage and no more, In what he and
Secretary Hull had said on the sub
ject.
Hits Poll Taxes.
As he Travelled Westward the Presi-
dent had thrown his influence behind
proposals to repeal State poll taxes.
The President arranged to arrive
in Rochester Sunday morning. full
day before the operation on his son,
who IS a White House secretary. No
stops were scheduled on the way save
those for railroading purposes.
In his discussion of poll taxes Mr..
Roosevelt said they prevented a con-
siderable percentage of the population
from voting.
Previously, Mr.. Roosevelt had writ
ten to Brooks Hays, Arkansas Demo-
cratic national committeeman, to in
dorse proposed constitutional
amendment to abolish the Arkansas
poll tax.
Mr.. Roosevelt said State poll taxes
apparently were an outgrowth of post
Revolutionary voting requirements,
which provided that citizens must own
property before they could cast q
ballot.
Many States have eliminated poll
taxes in the last few decades, the
President said. He commented that
the poll levy had nothing to do with
Negro voting, because that situation
was q separate question
The President said that in Virginia
one-third Of the white voting popu-
lation is unable to vote because of
the heavy poll tax
eight States-Alabama, Arkansas,
Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas and Virginia-have
poll taxes as prerequisites to voting.
All except Virginia and Arkansas ex-
empt elderly voters from payment.
The taxes range from 81 to 50 per
year,
He placed voting taxes in the same
category as movement in New Jersey
to prevent w. P. A. workers from vot-
ing. This movement is known as the
Women's Rebellion, Inc, he said, and
is sponsored by group Of ladies. He
suggested that the word ladies" might
well be put in quotation marks.
MIR. Roosevelt talked with reporters
after he had cruised on the Hudson
River in his yacht Potomac. Mem
bers of the cruise party included FL
lott Roosevelt, the Chief Executives
son; Gerard Swope Of the General
Electric Co. and Theodore Dresser, the
writer.
Mr.. Roosevelt heard a proposal early
in the day from Senator Theodore
Bilbo of Mississippi for doubling
existing old-age pension rates. Bilbo
said after his conference that the
President would have no objection to
his plan-which would cost an addi-
tional $3.50, 100000 annually-provided
extra taxes were levied to finance it.
The President told reporters that
he had asked the Senator question
how was it going to be paid for? In
formed Senator Bilbo quoted him as
saying there would be no White House
objection to soundly-f financed in
crease in old age pensions, the Chief
Executive said he would be happy to
see all the reporters at his press con-
ference receive $4,000 annual salaries
if they could be soundly financed.