Evening star., 1939-02-03

Close on heels OF presidential
noue for stronger United States
air fleet came disclosure OF
French agents presence aboard
American plane in test flight.
Congressional agitation for in
quiry into the administrations
foreign policy folloUed, 1Uith OBJ
lection Doiced concerning "un'
neutral and secret" methods OF
President, 1Uho says he is 1Dilling
that France buy as many planes
in United States as possible.
BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt stamped as a
"deliberate lie today a statement
that he called the River Rhine, be-
tween France and Germany, an
American frontier.
Speaking in tense, grave tones at
his press conference, the Chief EX-
ecutive declared the statement was
manufactured by some legislative
and newspaper-ow agitators.
His voice filled with irony and a
bitter smile curled his lips as he
added that those he described as
agitators had deliberately misrepre-
sented existing facts.
Mr.. Roosevelt was asked whether
his term deliberate lie" applied also
to reports he had said the American
frontier was in France. He replied
with an emphatic yes.
BY way of general reply to what
has been said and written about a
conference he had with the Senate
Military Affairs Committee Tuesday,
the President permitted newsmen to
quote him directly on the lie" and
what he said was a restatement Of
United States foreign policy.
The foreign) policy" he said,
"has not changed and it is not going
to change. If you want a compare
lively simple statement Of the policy
I will give it to you, and Kannee
Henry Kannee, official stenogra-
pher can copy it out afterward:
mo. L: We are against any en-
tangling alliances, obviously.
NO 2: We are in favor of the
maintenance of world trade for
everybody-all MISUNDERSTANDING
ourselves.
No. g. We are in complete SYM
pathy with any and every effort
made to reduce or limit ornaments.
mo. 4: AS a Nation-as Ameri-
can. people-we are sympathetic
with the peaceful maintenance of
political economic and social inde-
pendence of all nations in the
world"
That, the President emphasized,
was very simple and there was abso-
lutely nothing new in it.
Denounces Agitators.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the people were
beginning to realize that the things
they have read from agitators of the
Legislative and newspaper owner
variety in connection with the de-
tense and foreign policy programs
were pure bunk.
These agitators, he said, were
appealing to the prejudices and
fears of the people and were acting
III an uQ-AneTlCdn way.
The Presidents lengthy discus
sion of foreign policy followed a
question which suggested that some
people were confused about what
actually took place at his conference
with the Senate Military Committee
and also his meeting yesterday with
House Appropriation Subcommit-
tee on the Army bill.
It was at the Chief Executives
conference with the Senate COM
mittee that he was represented in
some reports as having fixed the
Rhine as one of this country s
frontiers.
Asked whether the purchase of
planes in this country by France
was discussed at his conference with
the Senators, the President said the
only reference to it was question
whether they were to be paid for in
cash and his reply in the affirm
ative.
Committee Postpones Decision.
While the President was holding
his press conference-which lasted
some minutes beyond its usual
time-that same committee post
poned decision, after a furious de-
bate behind closed doors, on whether
to make public its investigation into
airplane sales to France.
The President, using clipped, en-
phatic words declared that some of
those he termed agitators were re-
reiving loud acclaim from those
governments in the world which do
not believe in the continued inde-
pendence of all nations.
The President read his statement
on foreign policy slowly to the
more than 100 reporters gathered in
his private office He had before
him some rough-draft notes.
Chairman Pittman, Democrat, OF
Nevada, of the Senate Foreign Re-
lationS Committee sat behind the
President during the press confer
(See DEFENSE, Page A-4)