The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-10-13

uneApGCISu passing "a va
pean war cloud has had a marked
on official Washington.
Ever since last Spring the shadow
of apprehension lest the powder
machine of Europe might explode
and entangle the United States In
another World War has hung over
the deliberations and plans OF Gov
eminent, creating an atmosphere OF
uncertainty. Now that it seems that
there is not to be a war, at least
for an indefinite time to come,
Washington is breathing easier.
In high official circles, however,
there is no inclination to ease OH
in the preparations for nationa! de-
Tense. While war was averted by
the resolute stand of the great Euro
mean democracies of Great Britain
and France, it was touch-and-go 1or
a couple of weeks.
It is felt here that if President
Roosevelt had not sent his appeal TO
Hitler to settle the Czecholovaklan
question by conference instead OF by
force, and followed that by joining
with England in inviting Museum
to take part in the four-poWer con-
ference which finally settled the de-
cision for peace, this country might
today be facing a situation sucn as
we faced in 1914, and with much
less time in which to decide on the
mart we would eventually take IN
the conflict.
In intervening as he did, the Pres
ident. it is held here, definitely lmed
I'D the United States not only on the
side of peace but on the side OF DEM
ocratic government.
How far Mr.. Roosevelt's appear
impressed Hitler with the idea that
if he precipitated war with Britain
and France he would have America
on his neck, too, nobody OF course
can tell. The State Department be-
lieves that the Presidential message,
which our foreign office actually
wrote, got the idea across to Der
Fuehrer that whenever the clash OF
totalitarianism and democracy &C.
Cured. this country would line up
with the other democracies.
The official attitude is that it IS no
business of our what kind OF gov
eminent the people of any nation
choose to tolerate for themselves,
but when they try by force to i'm
pose their kind on peoples OF other
nations who prefer self-government,
then it becomes our concern.
Benefits Anticipated
Direct benefits to the United States
are anticipated as consequence OF
the peaceful solution of Europe's
immediate problem.
The Department of Agriculture,
especially is much more hopeful
that its plans for exporting surplus
wheat can be carried out, and that
the diversion of Europe's interest
from war preparations to peaceful
industrial pursuits will enlarge the
foreign market for American cot
ton.
If as a result of the whole affair
European nations now feel safe IN
diverting their attention to peaceful
problems, there is hope expressed
here that negotiations toward def
mite settlement of wartime and post
war debts of those nations to our
own government may shortly be un-
der way.
And it is regarded now as Ger
tain that the 1ong-discussed new
agreement on international trade re-
lations with Great Britain will be
concluded in the very near future.
There is no inclination, however,
to accept world peace as something
permanent, or to slow down in the
egort to bring Americas fighting
strength, in the air, on the sea and
on land, up to a point where we
would be ready to meet any emerg-
ency.
It is no secret here that England
the war that Hitler seemed ready to
force them into, and that was the
reason why they were willing Ito
concede him so much of what he
demanded from Czechoslovakia.
Next time there may not be so much
warning, so much time in which to
negotiate.
Official Washington recognizes
fully that it is unsafe to place too
much confidence in promises of die
tators. So American policy, so far
as the Administration can influence
and Congress is willing to follow,
will be to prepare for any emer-
gency.
Propaganda Campaign
International problems of anoth-
er nature are beginning to come to
the front here, also. The Govern
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