The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-17

on behal1 OF peace.
The President, however, was
convinced that things were bound
to break very badly In Europe
by spring, and he wanted to head
Ii off If there was any way con-
ceivably possibly.
So the Sumner Welles trip was
calculated to be something like
the public peace messages which
Roosevelt sent to Hitler, Musso-
iini, ct AL, before Munchi and
before the Polish crisis, by which
he sought to postpone war. Simi-
larly, the Welles pilgrimage Is in-
tended to hold out enough hope
fol- peace to stave off civilian
bonbings, mass attacks upon the
Westwall, and other horrors from
which 50 far this war has been
free.
Even II there Is no peace,
Roosevelt hopes the Welles mis-
sion may start Europe talking,
and che longer they talk, the
longer is postponed the bitter
ness hound TO engulf both sides
IL war becomes really intensive.
Roosevelt Is superstitious about
too mach advance preparation.
He thinks that the usual pour
parlers spoil an important diplo-
matte move. So he decided to
seno Welles off Immediately. Not
even the French and British am
bassadords learned Of 1t until q
few hours before the press.
BACKGROUND OF PEACE
While this was the immediate
spiingboard t1 the Welles mission,
actually there Is a much longer
and more important background.
That background can be divided
roughly into three parts:
I. Roosevelt's genuine dream
for peace, a dream toward the
fulfillment Of which he has worked
consistently since before the war
broke.
2. Roosevelt's fear that even
with the United States on the
sidelines, the worlds disrupted war
economies will turn New Deal re-
forms topsy-turvy. (For instance,
the present crrtailment Of British
cotton and tobacco purchases.
which will hurt millions Of SOUTH
ern farmers, while aviation fac
tories in the North and West will
declare lush divider.ds.)
8. Roosevelt,s fear that eventu-
ally, and despite the neutrality
act, the United States will be
drawn In. This last worry is more
acute at this moment than APP
pears on the surface, and is one
important reason for the timing
Of the Welles pilgrimage.
TWO NEW WAR FRONTS
All the confidential information
received by the State Department
points to the probability Of major
hostilities starting on two new war
fronts this spring or summer.
These fronts are (a) a new
Scandinavian attack by Sweden
and Norway against Russia; (b)
a British and French attack upor
south Russia and the Baku oil
fields through the Caucasus.
Welles will report on what the
Allies intend to do about these
two situations. At present the
Swedes have told the State
Department that Il will be Inn
possible for them OF stay out Of
war, and that they are ready to
come to the defense Of Finland
Immediately II they can count on
sCne support from France and
Britain.
THIS is why Roosevelt, in a
conference with the War and
Navy last week. favored the i'm
mediate sale Of average U. 8.
wsrships to Sweden. He wanted
them sold now, before Sweden be-
came a helligerent and it was too
late.
THIS also was the main subject
ri conversation at the Daladier-
Chambe, lain meeting as week.
Daladier urged that the Allies
support Sweden, thereby create a
new front which might defeat
Russia would worry Germany.
ALSO under discussion Is an at
tack by General Weygand's army
Of the Levant, now In Syria
against the Russia oil fields. CUT
ting off Russian oil would par
alayse the Soviet army.
weygand,s army Is now 200, 900
strong and among the finest
troops Of France. It has just been
augmented By $1,000 Anzacs. Al