Evening star., 1940-02-01
Hull and 0umansky
Talk for Half Hour;
Silent on Details
Current Affairs
Discussed, Says
Soviet Envoy
BY GARNETT d. HORNER.

Soviet Ambassador Constantine A.
Oumansky discussed current af-
fairs" with Secretary of State Hull
today in a half-hour conference
which Mr.. Hull declined to describe
as satisfactory.
Neither the Secretary nor the Am
bassador would reveal to reporters
any details of the matters under dis
cussion. Mr.. Oumansky would say
only that he sought the appoint
ment on his own initiative to dis
cuss current affairs adding he
could not answer any other ques-
tions.
Secretary Hull was asked at his
press conference Immediately after
his talk with the Soviet Ambassador
If he could say whether the conserva-
ton was satisfactory He replied he
would rather not undertake to pass
on that at this time
Secretary Hull announced that
William c. Bullitt, Ambassador to
France, had been summarized to
Washington for consultation. He
said Mr.. Bullitt planned to leave
Paris Saturday and would remain
here only a short time.
Not On Special Mission.
The Ambassador is being sum-
moned home for a general exchange
of information and not on any spe-
cial mission, Mr.. Hull said.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Ambassador
to Great Britain, who returned to
this country in December to spend
the Christmas holidays with his
family and report to President
Roosevelt and Secretary Hull, still
is in the United States. Mr.. Hull
said today he understood Mr.. Ken
nedy planned to return to London
this month.
Another American diplomat well
informed on current European af-
fairs, Joseph E. Davies, who re-
turned in December from his post
as Ambassador to Belgium, now is
working in the State Department
as a special assistant to the Secre-
tary.
Mr.. Oumansky declined to say
whether he had brought to Secre-
tary Hull anything in the nature of
a protest against pending action for
a Federal loan and other aid from
this country to Finland, although 1t
was understood this subject was not
brought up.
Mr.. Hull would say only that his
talk with the Soviet Ambassador was
of a general nature, with no de-
cisions of any kind involved He said
he did not know whether any formal
diplomatic communications would re-
suit from the conference.
Envoy Kept Waiting.
The Ambassador arrived at the
State Department promptly at noon,
when his appointment with the
Secretary was scheduled, but was
kept waiting in an anteroom for
Is minutes before being shown into
the Secretary's Office It was re-
called that the American Ambassa-
dor to Russia, Lawrence A. Stein
hardt, was kept waiting for days
when he sought appointment with
the Russian foreign Office while the
American freighter City of Flint
was being held at Murmansk.
The meeting between Secretary
Hull and Mr.. Oumansky began cor
daily enough. Newspapermen who
were seeking to question the Am
bassador of the nature Of his visit
as he walked down the corridor
noticed he took off his glasses as
he entered Mr.. Hull's Office anc
walked forward to shake hand.
smilingly with the Secretary, who
arose from his desk to greet him.
This was the first time Mr.
Oumansky had called on Mr.. HUI
since the Ambassador returned las
fall from a visit to Moscow.