Evening star., 1939-04-28

territory or possessions OF the fOl.
lowing independent nations. He
then names as those coming into
question-Finland, Latvia, Estonia,
Norway, Sweden. Denmark, the
Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain,
Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain,
Switzerland. Liechtenstein, Luxem-
burg, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, 1raq.
the Arabias, Syria, Palestine, Egypt
and Iran.
The Answer: I have first taken
the trouble to ascertain from the
states mentioned firstly whether
they feel themselves threatened, and
secondly and above all, whether this
inquiry by the American President
was addressed to US at their sugges-
ton or at any rate with their con-
sent.
The reply was in all cases mega
tive-in some instances strongly so.
1t Is true that 1 could not cause
inquiries to be made of certain Of
the states and nations mentioned,
because they themselves-as for ex-
ample, Syria-are at present not in
possession of their freedom, but are
occupied and consequently deprived
Of their rights by the military agents
Of democratic states.
Apart from this fact, however, all
states bordering on Germany have
received much more binding assur-
ances and, above all, suggestions
than Mr.. Roosevelt asked from me
IN his curious telegram.
But, should there be any doubt as
to the value OF these general and
direct statements which I have so
often made, then any further state
ment Of this kind, even II addressed
to the American President. would be
equally worthless. For ultimately it
Is not the value which Mr.. Roosevelt.
attaches to such statements which is
decisive. but the value attached to
these statements by the countries in
question.
But I must also draw Mr.. Roose-
velts attention to one or two his
torical errors. He mentions Ireland
for instance. and asks for a state
ment to the effect that Germany will
not attack Ireland. Now I have Just
read a speech delivered by De Valera
the Irish Taoiseach prime Min
ister), In which, strangely enough,
and contrary to Mr.. Roosevelt's opin-
Ion, he does not charge Germany
with depressing Ireland, but re-
proaches England with subjecting
Ireland to continuous aggression at
her hands.
With all due respect to Mr.. Roose-
velt's insight into the needs and
cares OF other countries, it may nev-
ertheless be assured that the Irish
Taoiseach will be more familiar with
the dangers which threaten his
country than the President of the
United States.
In the same way the fact has
obviously escaped Mr.. Roosevelt s
notice that Palestine is at present
occupied not by German troops but
by the English; and that the country
is having its liberty restricted by the
most brutal resort to force. is being
robbed of its independence and is
suffering the cruelest maltrea tment
for the benefit of Jewish interlopers.
The Arabs living in that country
will therefore certainly not have
complained to Mr.. Roosevelt Of Ger
man aggression, but they do voice
a continuous appeal to the world,
deploring the barbarous methods
with which England is attempting
to suppress people which loves its
freedom and is but defending it.
This, too, is perhaps a problem
which would have to be solved at
the conference table, that Is, in the
presence Of just Judge, and not by
physical force, military means, mass
executions, burning down villages,
blowing up houses and so on. For
one fact is undoubtedly certain: In
this case England is not defending
herself against threatened Arab
attack but as an interloper, and
without being called upon to do so,
Is endeavoring to establish her DOW
er in foreign territory which does
not belong to her.
A whole series of similar errors
which Mr.. Roosevelt has made
might be pointed out, quite apart
from the difficulty Of military op-
erations on the part of Germany
in states and countries, some of
which are 1000 and 5000 kilome-
ters away from us. In conclusion.
however, have the following state
ment to make:
The German government is,
nevertheless, prepared to give each
of the states named an assurance
of the kind desired by Mr.. Roose-
welt on the condition of absolute
reciprocity, provided that the state
wishes it and itself addresses to
Germany a request for such an as
surance, together with appropriate
proposals. AS concerns a number
Of the states included in Mr.. Roose-
velts list, this question can prob
ably be regarded as settled from
the very start, since we are already
either allied with them or at least
united by close ties of friendship.
AS for the duration of these agree
ments, Germany Is willing to make
terms with each individual state in
accordance with the wishes of that
state.
But I should not like to let this
opportunity pass without giving
above all to the President of the
United States an assurance regard
ing those territories which would
after all give him most cause for
apprehension, namely the United
States itself and the other states
Of the American continent.
And I here solemnly declare that
all the assertions which have been
circulated in any way concerning
an intended German attack or in
vasion on or in American territory
are rank frauds and gross untruths.
Quite apart from the fact that such
assertions, as far as the military
possibilities are concerned, could
have their origin only in a stupid
imagination.