Evening star., 1939-10-08
Qualified Support
Given Action on
Hitler Proposal
ByG. GOULD LINCOLN.

Dy NoSAD ALAANSoAh~s
Discussion of the Hitler peace
proposal resulted yesterday in the
development of marked sentiment
In the Senate for President Roose-
welt to step into the role of peace
maker in Europe.
Senators on both sides of the
controversy over repeal of the arms
embargo gave more or less qualified
support to such move.
However. hackers of the adminis-
tration's neutrality bill, including
Chairman Pittman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, in
sisted that the Hitler proposal
would have no bearing on the situ-
alton in the Senate, where debate
on the legislation enters its Sec
ond week tomorrow.
Indeed, Senator Pittman asserted
that a vote would be had on the
repeal bill by the end of this week
and that the bill would win, q to L."
Pittman Claims ScOffed At.
Opponents OF arms embargo re-
peal scoffed at the Pittman claims
Far from being over, they said, the
Senate debate on embargo repeal
and the whole administration bill
is just getting under way. Further
more, they added, the administra-
tion is counting on the support OF
Senators who are by no means
ready to vote for repeal.
Despite Senator Pittman's insist
ence that the Hitler peace proposal
would have no relation to the Senate
debate and Senate action, the mat
ter was given serious consideration
by both supporters and opponents
OF embargo repeal. 1t was obvious,
however, that nothing could be ex-
pected to develop until some more
formal proposal has been made-if
President Roosevelt is to act-and
until Great Britain and France, DIS
well as Germany, have assented to
an armistice and some form of medi-
alton.
Administration quarters remained
silent. Secretary of State Hull de-
clined comment on the dispatches
from Berlin indicating Chancellor
Hitler would welcome move by Mr..
Roosevelt to effect settlement. At
Hyde Park, N Y, the President sent
word to reporters that he had moth
ing to say.
Thomas Issues Statement.
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Utah, member Of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee and a supporter of
embargo repeal, issued q statement
In which he declared:
II think that the President of the
United States should consider most
seriously Hitlers peace offering. No
matter what happens, peacemaking
has to be INDUCED in and there are
only two techniques One is a forced
peace where the victor writes the
treaty and the other is negotiated
peace. The quicker the nations of
the world begin thinking about peace
, the greater the chances for a nego-
tlated peace tempered by the opinion
of the neutral states.
Thousands of lives and millions
IN wealth are always saved when
ever war is shortened and wars
area is limited. A lasting peace
in Eastern Europe can only come
through some technique like our
Federal system which recognizes
local control governing local affairs
and national control governing ma
tional affairs. The more of the
little states that federate in Eastern
Europe the greater the guarantee for
peace and the fewer causes for
clash will be.
mot only should the tempering
influences of the great neutral states
be present, but the influence on
such peaceful entities as could be
represented by the Vatican should
be there. There should be present
also representative statesman
whom the Jews of the world trust.
These two last suggestions may offer
difficulties, but difficulties which can
be quickly swept aside by those
who are honestly interested in
peaceful world.
The suggestions should not be
out OF harmony with the expressed
objectives of the allies and Hitler's
offer as it is now known. Englands
and Frances position is dual one.
Those two nations have obligations
both to themselves as belligerents
and to the great number of neutral
nations which constitute the family
of nations whether we consider them
organized or not"
Wheeler Urges President to Act.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of
Montana, who is opposing arms en-
barge repeal, strongly urged, too,
that the President act to bring the
war in Europe to an end.
II think" he said, that the Presi-
dent has the greatest opportunity of
any President in modern history to
e serve humanity and bring about a
permanent peace in Europe while
preventing the slaughter of millions
of human beings.
II believe that democracy will be
driven from the face of the earth
If England and France persist in
(see NEUTRALITY, Page A-50