Evening star., 1938-02-23
SPECULATION RIFE
ON TALK BY |CKES
Observers View AnQIo.
American Unity Call as
Official Hope.
BY the Associated Press,

0tCIeIdTy 4CkeS call 1Or Anglo
American unity against Fascism and
Communism-avowedly made in the
role Of q private citizen-receive6 i'm
mediate Interpretation by Washington
observers today as a general expression
Of ofhcial hopes.
These observers pointed out that
Britons who heard a radio speech by
Mr.. Ickes yesterday necessarily would
Judge these words against back
ground of his position as member
Of President Roosevelt's cabinet:
''The community of interest that ex-
lists between Britain and America. as
well as between other peoples who be-
lieve in democracy should be strength
ened.
Democracy can not live side by side
In the same country with either Fas-
cism or Communism. Totalitarianism,
either Of the right or the left. is alien
to the spirit that dominates the Eng
lish-speaking democracies of the
world"
Speaks As individual.
Mr.. Ickes, emphasizing that he spoke
only as an individual. said the Presi-
dent alone Is charged with re-
sponsibility for foreign affairs"
He was reported to have written his
address before the resignation of An
thony Eden, Great Britains foreign
minister. But that occurrence and
the general European situation served
to arouse special interest in his COM
ments.
His speech was carried by the Brit
ish Broadcasting Co. to the greater
part of the United Kingdom as the
FIRST OF several programs by Americans.
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Hull remained silent on European de-
velopments, but both were known to
be studying them closely.
Says England Loses Hope.
Senator Borah, Republican. of
Idaho said he believed England, by
her gestures of friendship to Germany
and Italy. had abandoned any hope
that she could depend on America
as an ally in war.
He declared American reaction to
the question raised by Senator john
son, Republican. of California as to
whether the United States had
naval understanding with England
was so adverse to the idea that the
British government realized it would
have to look elsewhere for friends.
(Secretary Hull has denied that any
naval understanding exists)
While foreign affairs continued to
be one of the principal topics in
congressional circles, Senators draft
ing a proposed war referendum"
amendment to the Constitution de-
clared they had obtained the sigma
lures OF IA members as co-authors.
Proposal Is Compromise.
Their proposal is a compromise be-
tween four versions previously intro
duced by Senators La Toilette, Pro-
gressive, Of Wisconsin; Clark. Demo-
crat, Of Missouri; Nye, Republican,
OF North Dakota. and Capper, Re-
publican, Of Kansas.
in the case Of what might be termed
aggressive wars. Senator Nye said.
Meantime a group of House men,
bers, meeting at the call Of Repre-
sentative Scott, Democrat. of Califor-
mia, went on record against isola-
tionism.
Either outright repeal Of the neu-
trality act or changes permitting the
United States to aid China will be
sought by the group. MIR. Scott said.
Certainly Mr.. Ickes added, with
the Fascist countries Of the world
drawing closer and closer together in
an ominous and bodeful phalanx, it
behooves America and all other DEM
ocratic nations to prove that under a
democratic form Of government the
highest political liberty as we'll as the
greatest economic security will
be provided"
1T Is a fitting occasion to reaffirm
our determination that - We will
continue to build our civilization on
the firm foundations Of the American
Constitution. which, in common with
the British constitution, has its roots
deep in the Magma Charta.
Here in the United States we re-
alize that the democratic principle
Is having to fight to maintain itself
as it has not had to fight since it first
became established"
A week ago when Mr.. Ickes' as
sociates announced arrangements for
the broadcast they said his speech
would be a revised version of his
Americas Sixty Families" address de-
livered last December
When that speech was made it was
regarded as an attack on concentrated
wealth. The Secretary charged that
the Nations business affairs were
dominated by the wealth and connec-
tions Of group of rich families.
His speech for the British broad
cast, however, did not dwell at any
length on rich families and concen-
trated wealth.
Elaborating on the problems of
democracies. Mr.. Ickes said "the issue
that We face in America is the issue in
all Of the democratic countries of the
world"
I'VE have sufiicient political freedom
with which to get by, but we lack that
economic security without which the
modern man will not indefinitely en-
dure."
He told his British listeners that the
United States was far behind Great
Britain in social legislation.
He then referred to the economic
royalists" who. he said, were delaying
progress in this country, and added:
Too few people are still unable or
unwilling to see that the only alterna-
tive to an abandonment of our present
economic system is realistic accept
ance Of the fact that no democratic
form Of government will be perma-
nently secure unless the base of 4
contented citizenry is made as broad
and wide as the citizenry itself.
H.