Evening star., 1938-04-22
Eaten Words.

Roosevelt denounced "the present reign
OF terror and lawlessness," which was
seriously threatening the very founda-
tions OF civilization" Referring clearly
to foreign Intervention in Spain, he
assailed nations for fomenting and TAX
Ing sides In civil warfare in countries
that have never done them any harm"
Pointing out that the "epidemic Of
world lawlessness seems to be spread
ing" the President then uttered his
celebrated dictum that under such cir
cumstances the community" (of ma
tions) joins in Quarantine" to check
the disease" Everywhere that declara-
tion evoked the conviction that Ameri-
can Isolation was at an end-that the
mighty influence Of the United States,
moral, II not physical, had at last been
flung into the breach, to arrest the
march OF the forces of aggression.
AS time went on, the isolationist group
In Congress and the country, alarmed
by Mr.. Roosevelt's apparent move
toward collective security against inter-
national brigandage, set up a hue and
cry that was soon to stifie his noble
sentiments. 1t was not long before
they became mere words destined by no
stretch of the imagination to be fol-
lowed by deeds. They took their place
In that Valhalla of idealism already
overstocked with platonic preachments
In the American accent
Mr. Roosevelt has just shown that he
is not content merely to have his words
forgotten. He has decided to eat them.
1t Is difficult to place any other con-
struction upon the amazing statement
sprung upon his White House press con-
ference Tuesday regarding the Anglo
Italian agreement Though pretending
not to pass upon the political features
OF such accords,' the communiuue. by
every canon Of diplomatic practice,
formally places the stamp of American
approval upon the Chamberlain Mus
solini deal. 1t does so, moreover, even
before the deal goes into effect, for that
is not to happen until Italian forces are
Withdrawn from Spain. II Duce's troops
will not quit the Peninsula until In
surgent victory, now seemingly inn
minent, is clinched.
Even though the President stresses
that the United States bestows its
blessing on the British bargain with
the Roman dictatorship because of our
sympathetic interest in the value of
peaceful negotiations the impression is
inescapable that Mr.. Roosevelt's action
is both premature and uncalled for. Its
preclpltancy is on all fours with our
acknowledgment of Germany's absorp-
ton Of Austria even before the notorious
Nazi plebiscite formally sanctified that
steal. But all these things are Sec
ondary to the fact that the American
Government is revealed as condoning
Fascist international practice-exactly
as Great Britain, in the spirit of
Chamberlain realism" has done. The
agreement which Mussolini extorted
from London rests mainly on two foun-
dations-recognition Of the Ethiopian
annexation and legalization OF Italian
Intervention in SPAIN Mr.. Roosevelt now
says this is perfectly all right with him. 1t
Is humiliating admission, and one in
which the American people do not join
with pride, for 1t is the negation of
everything for which their Government
has stood. from Manchuria to Barce-
Iona. It almost looks as If we had Joined
Chamberlain and Daladier on the dicta-
torial bandwagon.
On March II, in his stirring review of
American foreign policy. Secretary Hull
declared that, among other things "the
most effective contribution which this
Nation can make, in the tragic condi-
tions confronting mankind" is "un-
swerving loyalty to principles" Does
the compounding of the Ethiopian
felony and Of the Illicit italian interven-
ton in Spain, both Of which the Lon
DON Rome accord legitimizes, constitute
answering loyalty to principles?