Evening star., 1940-01-15
InterparIiamentary
Union Branch Here
Elects BarkIey
Fish Tells His Efforts
To Get Powers to Agree
To DeIoy Wars Stort
By 10. O'LEARY.

Senate Majority Leader Barkley
Of Kentucky was elected president Of
the American branch OF the Inter-
parliamentary Union today at a
gathering Of Representatives and
Senators In the House Once Build
ing, succeeding Representative Ham,
ilton Fish, Republican, of New York.
Mr.. Fish, who was selected last year
when the Democrats Unexpectedly
found themselves outnumbered at
the annual meeting. did not seek re-
election, and Senator Barkley, who
previously had headed the group,
was chosen unanimously.
The members who turned out for
this years annual meeting filled the
large hearing room of the House
Banking and Currency Committee.
Mr.. Fish related to the assembled
members Of Congress the inside
story of his efforts to have Euro
pean powers agree to q 30-day peace
moratorium shortly before the pres
ent war broke out In September.
Told War Inevitable.
The New York Representative, then
on his way to the interparliamen-
tary meeting at Oslo, said he pre-
pared the moratorium resolution be-
cause he had reliable information
from officials in France and Ger
many early in August that war was
inevitable. He told Of attending a
Z dinner on August 10 with American
Ambassador Bullitt in France, at
which. he said, the French air min
lister told him war was inevitable"
Mr.. Fish said that a few days later
he had q conference with Foreign
Minister Won Ribbentrop Of Ger
many. in desire to talk peace. But
the German omcial, he said, told
him the same thing, that war was
likely to start any time after August
20.
1t was because Of this information,
he explained. that he offered the
moratorium resolution at the Oslo
meeting. He emphasized that he
did so as an individual. and not as
president Of the delegation, and
stated at the time that If any of
the nations concerned objected he
would not press it. 1t never came
to a vote. He said he had been
criticized in the newspapers, but
that he had no apologies to make
for this effort. II the democratic
nations had accepted the proposal,
he said, 1t would have put the full
responsibility on Hitler and might
have changed the course of events.
No Desire TO Continue.
Representative Fish then told his
colleagues he had no ambition to
continue as president of the group
He said he has no faith" in the
foreign policies of the administra-
ton, believing they will involve this
country in the war, and that he
would not be a candidate to head
the interparliamentary group for
the coming year.
In nominating Senator Barkley.
Representative Boland. Democrat, of
Pennsylvania, replied briefly to Mr..
Fish's attack on the Roosevelt
foreign policy, declaring:
Il am satisfied the foreign policy
of the present administration is
going to keep us out of the war"
Mr. Fish said he doubted whether
there would be an international
conference of the union this year
because Of the war, but recon-
mended that Congress should make
the usual appropriation of $4,000
for the expenses of the American
group. Half of this amount is to
send delegates to the annual con-
ference, but. If one is not held. the
money would remain in the treasury
or be applied on the next year.
The meeting elected the following
three vice presidents: Senator
johnson, Democrat, of Colorado;
Representative Dingell, Democrat,
Of Michigan, and Representative
Wadsworth. Republican, Of New
York