Evening star., 1939-11-30
State Department

pean situation in a meeting with
Raymond H. Geist, Consul General
at Berlin, back in the United States
on leave.
Unless the deepening European
crisis prevents his leaving Wash
ington, the President is planning
to attend the Army Navy football
game in Philadelphia on Saturday
and continue on to Hyde Park for
the week end. On his way up from
Warm Springs he stopped for about
two hours in Asheville, N. c., to visit
Marvin H. Mcintyre, one of his Sec
retaries, and Miss Margaret Durand
secretary to the late Louis Howe
Both Mr.. Mcintyre and Miss
Durand are convalescing at Ashe-
vile from illnesses.
At his press conference at 1890
O'Clock, Mr.. Hull said the depart
ment is awaiting further informa-
ton from its own representatives
abroad before making further COM
ment or deciding on any new course
of action here.
In unsual fashion, applied for the
first time to the recurring European
troubles, Secretary Hull made pub
lie pronouncement here yesterday
that without in any way becom-
ing involved in the merits of the
dispute and limiting its interest to
the solution of the dispute by peace
full processes only, this Government
would, if agreeable to both parties,
gladly extend its good Offices"
Blank Check in Effect.
In effect, the Secretarys proposal
Soviet and Finnish governments
might add any agreeable formula in
which they desired this Government
to participate, either as mediator
conciliator or simply third party
bringing the disputants together.
After being made public here, the
pronouncement was delivered for
nally to the Russian and Finnish
governments in Moscow and Hell
sinki.
Scarcely had this occurred, how
ever, before Soviet Foreign Minister
Molotoff announced that his govern
ment had broken off diplomatic re-
lations with the Finnish govern
ment. Their controversy, he added,
concerned them alone and included
no Soviet threat against ANY third
power"
Best available information at the
State Department is that 800 Amer
lean citizens are listed as residents
of Finland with 400 being so record
ed in Soviet Russia.
Pittman Hits Soviet.
The expressed willingness of this
Government to serve in the interests
of peace drew approval from the
Capitol, but no great degree of op-
timism. Chairman Pittman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Commit
tee expressed immediate commen-
dation, but after learning of ter
mination of Soviet diplomatic rela-
tions with Finland he accused the
Moscow government of total aban-
donment of every sincere policy
looking toward a just peace"
If the neutrality law is invoked in
the case of Russia and Finland, as ii
already has been applied in the wal
between Germany and the allies
American ships would be forbidden
to enter Russian or Finnish ports
In addition, the Russian and Fin
nish governments would be denied
credit in this country. Title to any
goods sold to them would have to be
transferred to non-Americans be-
fore it was shipped.
Speculation Over Zones.
Speculation has arisen also as tc
the possibility that the combat zone
defined by the President after he
invoked the statute in September
might be changed.
That zone now covers large area
off the coast of Europe, from Spain
to Norway. 1t prevents United
States ships from calling at Swedish
Finni.h and other ports on the Bal
tic, but permits them to visit Nor
wegian ports north of Bergen anc
Finnish and Russian northern ports
The suggestion that this Govern
ment extend its good Offices" a
formula used on several occasions
in connection with settlement o1
South American controversies, wa:
the second formal effort from
Washington in behalf of Finnish.
Soviet Cancellation.
Last month, Mr.. Roosevelt re-
minded the Moscow government O
the deep friendship between thi
country and Finland and expressed
his earnest hope that the Soviet
would make no demands on tn
Helsinki government which woult
be inconsistent with amicable rela'
tions between those two countries
Friendly Cooperation.
President Kalinin of the Sovie
Union replied that the then pendin
negotiations were concerned onl
with Strengthening of friendly co
operation between the two countrie
in the cause of guaranteeing the Sc
curity of the Soviet Union and Fin
land" He recalled that his govern
ment long ago had recognized indie
pendence of the Finnish Republi
and repudiated the "tendentious
rumors spread by those more inter
ested in war than in peace.
Emphasizing that he was speak
ing only for himself and not for hi
committee or the executive brancl
of the Government, Senator Pittmal
commented yesterday as follows:
II should say that Secretary HUI
io bic +epocitv for the settle