Evening star., 1939-08-24
BeIgians Hope Plea
For Peace Will Come
From Roosevelt
King Leopold Makes
Appeal, Warning World
Of Economic Collapse
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
BRUSHES, Aug. 24.-The hope
that King Leopold's forceful appeal
for peace would inspire similar ex-
pressions by President Roosevelt and
other heads of neutral nations was
voiced by palace sources in Brus-
sells today.
1t was indicated here that there
was no expectation the Belgian
monarchs stirring call would result
in any direct expression from the
heads of either the British French
or the German-Italian group of ma
tions.
The King, urging the antagonistic
powers to enter into "open negotia-
tions" of their differences, frankly
expressed hope that heads of other
nations would take up his appeal.
1.-THE world is living in a period
of tension such that all normal COL
laboration between states risks be-
coming impossible" Leopold said.
Great powers are taking measures
almost equivalent to mobilization
of their armed forces. Do not the
little powers have to fear being VIC
tins of an eventual conflict into
which they would be drawn against
their will, despite their policy of in
disputable independence and their
firm desire for neutrality? Are they
not exposed to becoming the objects
of arrangements reached beyond
them?
World Menaced With Collapse.
without even an opening of hos
tilities, the world is menaced with
an economic collapse. Mistrust and
| suspicion reign everywhere. Under
our eyes the camps are forming, the
armies are grouping, a horrible strug-
gle is being prepared in Europe. Is
our continent going to commit sui
| eide in frightful war which would
know neither conqueror nor con-
quered, in which spiritual and ma
terial values created by centuries
Of civilization would founder?
"The psychosis of war is invading
the homes, and although conscious
of the unimaginable catastrophes
that a conf1agration would consti-
tute for all humanity, public opinion
is abandoning itself more and more
to the idea that we are being fatally
| drawn to it. 1t is necessary to react
| against so somber a resignation.
There is not people-we affirm
it with force-which wishes to send
its children to death in order to take
from other nations the right to exist
that it claims for itself.
Certainly the interests of the
states are not all the same. But do
there exist interests which cannot
be better reconciled before than
after war?
May the conscience of the world
awaken. The worst can still be
avoided. but time is pressing. The
| evolution of events may soon render
AL direct contact even more diff
cult"
Not Intended as Munich.
Sources close to the throne said
the Kings address climaxing the
seven little powers conference was
in no way intended to make Brussels
the Munich of 1885,"
Leopold's appeal was broadcast
last night from an upper chamber
of the palace in the presence of the
foreign ministers of the Oslo group
Of nations Afterward he enter
tained the ministers at dinner at
the Salon of Mirrors" in company
with their associates and Belgian
political leaders.
The delegates started back to their
capitals Immediately to resume their
study of the fast-moving European
developments.
1t had been anticipated that the
Brussels conference would last two
or three days and would consider
in detail the problems of neutrality
that would confront them.