Evening star., 1938-04-20

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Great Britain and #$s -
Italy" European ,,.,
governments will
not fail to regard the very issuance of
the pronouncement from the White
House as a sort of roundabout ap-
proval of something which could not
for domestic political reasons here be
approved directly.
Why should America at this juno
ture issue any statement on the Brit
lsh-Italian agreement? Why should
precedents of the past be broken? The
chances are that American policy at
the moment looks more to the preser-
vation of peace in the world than the
maintenance of any strict conformity
to academic precedent.
Looked at objectively, the Presi-
dents statement really means that
the United States in so far as it may
venture to express any opinion at all
ranges itself alongside Great Britain
and says, in effect, to italy that this
country has sympathetic interest in
lllV CllOl 10 IiIdOC I IllC ANlille
lister Chamberlain to keep the peace
in Europe.
From another viewpoint the PreSi-
dents declaration may also be taken
to mean that the United States is
sympathetic with any effort that may
be made to iso.a.e the chief trouble
maker in Europe. namely, Dictator
Hitler. His seizure Of Austria has
changed an otherwise passive attitude
here. A realistic school of thought
here is of the opinion that anything
which may legitimately be done, even
if inconsistent with past precedents,
to keep Italy on the side Of Great
Britain and France is calculated to
delay Hitler in taking the initiative
toward general European war.
Delicacy of Approach.
There can be no doubt that the
making of a public statement COM
menting on the Anelo-Itallan agree
ment was fraught with considerable
delicacy of approach. After all Ameri-
can public opinion could hardly be
said to approve the seizure of Ethiopia
or the abandonment Of democratic
principles in Italy itself But expe-
diency is often the basis OF govern
mental policy in tangled world situa-
tions and just now the most impor-
tant thing to the United States is to
do everything it can with its moral
influence to prevent the outbreak of
war. Certainly the growth OF world
trade so sorely needed by the United
States would not be served by Euro
pean war.
Even though. therefore, the Presi-
dents statement would seem to be
open to the inference that the United
States condones the Italian invasion
of Ethiopia. it is far more important
that Italy be awakened to the alert
ness of Americas interest in what she
may be planning with respect to the
peace Of Europe. In the last war. Italy
threw her fortunes on the side of the
allies even though when war broke
out in 1914 she had a definite alliance
with Germany and Austria which had
been counted upon by the Berlin au-
thorities to be of avail to them when
war came.
Today it looks very much as if Great
Britain and France are strongly WOO
ing Italy again, and this time the
United States gets into the picture
early to give Rome i hint that maybe
America would be better pleased if
Italy stuck to her former allies.
Isclationists' Viewpoint.
The so-called isolationists in America
will probably attack the Presidents
statement as a meddling in strictly
European affairs whereas the inter-
national co-operationists will be glad
that Mr.. Roosevelt has ventured. even
though in rather implicit terms, to
say something on behalf of America
at critical moment in the evolution
OF European diplomatic policies Some
times these little statements with their
vague phrases mean little to public
opinion on this side of the Atlantic
but they are examined with extraordi-
nary interest by foreign newspapers
and foreign peoples.
There is incidentally in the Presi-
dents statement confirmation of the
points recently made by Ambassador
Joseph Kennedy at London when he
said that America had by no means
decided on a do-nothing policy ire
spectlve of future CONTINGENCIES. and
that If the world was relying on mac
ton 1t was mistaken. On the other
hand. Mr.. Kennedy stated that the
United States reserved the right to
judge each situation as it arises and
form policy in the light of actual
rather than theoretical circumstances.
The Presidents statement gives
strength to the American Ambassa-
dors speech, for Mr.. Roosevelt saws
almost in so many words that America
Will even break = precedent and give
an intimation as to her sympathies in
. particular situation if by 50 doing
maintenance of the peace of Europe
may be considerably aided.
Mr.. Roosevelt's statement is indeed
unprecedented, but it is a ten-strike
for peace and, therefore, deserves the
widest kind Of approval.
(Copyright, 1889