Evening star., 1938-08-17
HULL IS SATISFIED
WITH REACTION
Warned by His ENJOYS, He
Decided to Serve Notice
to Dictators.
Bv CONSTANTINE BROWN.

By CONSTANTINE BROWN.
Secretary Hull Is pleased with the
repercussion Of his last nights radio
speech which drew fire from the to-
talitarian governments and praise
from the democratic countries.
Warned by cable and telephone re-
ports from his Ambassadors abroad
that "the situation is growing des-
perate" in particular in Central Eu-
rope, where the Czechoslovaks looked
askance at the German fall maneuv-
ers, Mr.. Hull decided to issue another
warning to the totalitarian states not
to play with fire.
While strictly adhering to the ira
ditional policy of no foreign entangle-
ments, the Secretary of State has not
overlooked q single critical situation
IN Europe and the Far East with
out warning the peace breakers" OF
the possibility of America beng
against them.
Early in June of this year, when 1t
was believed in London and in Paris
that Germany would invade Czecho-
elovakia before the end of the COM
rnunal elections, he issued milder but
firm warning to Berlin at State De-
partment press conference.
Whether it had any affect on the
Reich's foreign policy is difficult to
ascertain. But from the practical point
of view the critical June Is passed
without trouble.
Motive For Address.
1t was the same motive, the critical
situation in Europe, which prompted
the Secretary of State to make his
radio speech last night. 1t was i'm
p]emented by discreet hints from our
Ambassadors in Rome and Berlin that
while the United States was not in a
position to adopt militant policy IN
Europe in the event Of an outbreak OF
hostilities, the neutrality law was so
vorded that this country could help
indirectly the democracies of Europe
at the expense of the totalitarian
states And it was hoped that Berlin
and Rome would draw the logical con-
clusion, that friendly policy to-
ward the European democracles. by
providing them with raw materials IN
case of war, might eventually draw
this country into the conflict.
Mr.. Hull is firmly convinced that
there are many people with good sense
in the totalitarian states and his
7-point program for universal peace
might appeal to them.
The Secretary of State still believes
that If the totalitarian states were
given free access to raw materials, they
would modify their present aggressive
policy. It is for this reason that he
put out the thought Of a revision
of the existing treaties.
Bait for Totalitarians.
This bait thrown at Hitler and
Mussol1ni is this time based on the
knowledge that both France and
Great Britain would welcome an in
ternational conference for the revision
of the already defunct postwar
> treaties and would consider giving
Germany and Italy a share in the
raw materials which they control at
present.
The fact that the government-con-
trolled German, italian and japanese
press did not give friendly reception
to his last nights radio address does
not worry the Secretary Of State.
He believes that the effect of his
'seven- point program" has been sat-
isfactory. In the neutral countries.
which are scared of the totalitarian
governments the reaction has been ut
is no good getting panicky and throw
ing ourselves in the arms of the Reich.
The United States will eventually come
to the rescue of the European democ-
racies in case of an emergency" In
London, where the government and the
press would have liked to see less
evasive statement of policies, the
speech was welcomed as mot bad
thing" and in Paris the press displayed
it prominently. It undoubtedly bol-
stored up the morale of the French
public.
Neither the Secretary of State nor
his associates in the State Depart
ment expect an immediate practical
effect from Mr.. Hull's warning. But
they believe that the theology of the
Secretary will eventually permeate the
minds of the dictators who might be-
come convinced that settlement of
the outstanding problems on the basis
of economic reconstruction, adher-
ence to the basic principles of interna-
tional law, respect and observance of
treaties, voluntary self-restraint, limi-
tation of armaments, intellectual in
terchange between nations and inter-
national cooperation" would be pref
cradle to the use of force.