Evening star., 1939-04-17
Peace Value of Roosevelt Plea
Doubted in London and Paris
Britons WeIcominq
It as Promise
Of Victory
By WILLIAM H. STONEMAN.

VI VlStOIy
BY WILLIAM H. STONEMAN.
Chicago Daily News Foreign CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, April 17.-President
Franklin D. Roosevelt's historic ap-
peal to Germany and Italy Is being
welcomed in London today as q
promise of victory rather than as
promise of peace.
Although the Presidents appeal,
in the estimation Of people here
may cause Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hit
Ter and Premier Benito Mussolini
to pause briefly, it is not expected
to cause the abandonment of their
major program. That program Is
expected to proceed uninterruptedly
and there are definite signs that i.
is doing SO.
What the Presidents message has
accomplishment addition to "clar-
flying the dictators' intentionS"-has
been to place the American people
and their President more definitely
than ever before on the side OF
Great Britain and France in case
OF war with Germany and Italy
That, in turn, strengthens the grow
ing belief that the United States
will intervene directly in a war and
that, in turn, would mean, in the
opinion Of people here, that victory
would be both sure and speedy. 1t
is the opinion of the British general
staff that France, Britain and the
United States together could beat
Germany and Italy within SIX
months.
Praise in General Terms.
The British press as usual re-
frains from embarrassing the Presi-
dent by suggesting that his criti-
cism of relationships implies a
promise of American assistance.
Most newspapers praise his move in
general terms as an act of "coura-
geouS craftsmanship without even
suggesting that it will accomplish
its avoWed purpose. which is to
steer Europe back onto the path of
peace.
Momentarily, more immediate i'm
portance is attached by Europeans
to the outcome of negotiations which
are now proceeding in London,
Paris and Moscow for the inclusion
of the Soviet Union in the so-called
"anti-aggression league" There has
been much irresponsible and prema-
ture talk about these parleys, but
what has really happened seems to
be this: The British, in response to
pressure from public opinion and
France. and in order to back up
their otherwise almost impossible
commitments to Poland and Ru-
mania, have asked the Russians
what they would be prepared to con-
tribute to collective security in
Eastern Europe.
Averse to Russian Army Aid.
Since Rumania and Poland are
definitely averse to having Russian
troops on their soil even for pur-
poses of defense, the understanding
has been that whatever the Russians
did would probably not involve the
full use Of infantry. Various sug-
gestiOns have been made One was
that the Soviet Union should join
in an air pact with Britain and
France, under which all would send
planes to help minor victims of
aggression. Another was that the
Russians should simply contribute
supplies, including planes tanks
and other mechanical war equip
ment.
Yesterday the British Ambassa-
dor, Sir William Seed, saw the
Russian foreign commissar, Maxim
M. Litvinov, in Moscow for the Sec
ond time in two days and following
their converse ton Litvinov under
took to consult his government.
Negotiations between the French
and Russians have dealt more spe-
ciically with military matters, this
having been made possible by the
existence of the Franco-Soviet mu-
tual assistance pact. 1t is now
understood that star talks will
begin between the two powers in
order to arrange for cooperation
along certain lines if the two pow
ers do decide to act.
What may actually come out Of
these negotiations, If the three
powers really prove to be serious
in their intentions, is q sort OF
super entente cordiale far more
potent in its threat than the rela-
tionship which existed between
France, Russia and Britain in 1914.
This, however, cen only materialize
If the British and French can over
come the Russian suspicion that
the British Tories are plotting to
involve Communism in q two sided
war to the death with NaZsm.
News from the Mediterranean still
supports the belief that the axis
has decided upon some action in
that area and that it may be ex-
pected soon. Two leading candi-
dates for attention momentarily ap-
pear to be Gibraltar and the inter-
national zone of Tangiers.
Copyright, 1889 by Chicago Daily News Inc.