The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-20

NSOkALAlluGd 41OAAL dBC A(
 
 armistice found the United States on the way to naval preeminence and that Great Britain could main- tain parity only by persuading the United States to scrap ships. The alternative would have been in- creased British building, a costly process and possibly not feasible for a nation just out of an expensive war.
 Senator Borah on Guard
 Coincident with the expression of this chestnut" policy, Sen. William E. Borah, R., Idaho, returning here after long illness, said that former French Premier Leon Blum would better remind his fellow country men to observe their own formal treaty obligations than to ask the United States to take the lead in effecting European peace.
 Borah said 1t is not our affair" If Great Britain and France agree to dismemberment of Czecho- slovakia.
 "What such a suggestion really means" he said, referring to Blum, lis that the United States involve itself in European controversies and furnish the money and the men which may be necessary in case of war.
 "The people of this country may now look forward to a deluge of pro- paganda seeking to involve the United States in these controversies and all in the name of peace. They call 1t peace to get us in. But after we get in, 1t Is war!"
 Reflects State Ideas
 Borah's statement was judged by some observers generally to reflect state department ideas, although there was no evidence that 1t was suggested by Secretary of State Cor dell Hull. There was evidence, how ever, of tendency by the admin istration to give the crisis the silent treatment in contrast to the free- dom which officials. until the past week or so, have found formal oc- casion to make statements general ly interpreted as indicating the d. rection of United tSates sympathies if not implying a commitment to act in the event of war in Europe.
 When the United Press reported some 10 days ago from London that Europe was coming to the con- clusion that the United States was committing itself morally to the stop Hitler movement there was evil dence here and elsewhere that the administration did not consider any such conclusion warranted. Presi- dent Roosevelt himself said so.
 All Sorts of Rumors
 All sorts of rumors are sitting through Washington. Recurrent is the word that group within the administration believes MT. Roose- welt should make a dramatic ges- ture of some kind in the present emergency.
 A couple of the f1le-closers in the ranks of the younger and more im- petuous New Deal battalions have been talking up a grand interna- tional conference of the heads of states with MT. Roosevelt as host. There has been speculation about a circular letter to all governments calling for peace in the name of sanity and humanity.
 The United Press was informed there had been no cabinet discus sion of mediation.
 Tip sheets, the pulse feelers and others who attempt here to measure the currents of politics and public opinion incline to the belief that the United States is getting ready to keep out of trouble if war comes.
 Enough Trouble at Home
 There are indications of sufficient difficulty at home without going abroad for obstacles. The adminis- tration is disturbed about the inflow of foreign gold, despite the confi- dent public statements of Secretary of Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr., and there is the problem which would be created if foreign govern ments seized their nationals prop erty here in event of war.
 Foreigners have credits here of S6 6.500. .O0O,O00 or whereabouts. Sud- den liquidation of even half so vast q holding would give us economic collie. But liquidation is likely if there Is a war because by seizing their nationals property here for- eign governments who owe us money would be able to avoid for some time the. need for borrowing in the Amer ican market. The Johnson act bars our money market to foreign debt ors who have welched in the past.