Evening star., 1940-07-07

any transfer of American territorial Dos
sessions Of countries conquered by Ger.
many and Italy. :
Friday Secretary of State Hull dis
closed that Germany offered what here
A could be accepted only as
"onfoe an unsatisfactory reply.
Doctrine Germany complained that
the American Interpretation
OF the American Monroe Doctrine would
confer on some European countries the
right to possess territories here and bar
other nations which, like Germany, have
no such American holdings from such
a right. Berlin reiterated that it had
given no occasion for any assumption
that 1t intends to acquire such possess
sions. Mr.. Hull was vigorous in his OBJ
servations on the German view, observa-
tions which he made to the press in a
formal statement. The kernel of his
statement was that the United States
will not allow the Germans entry into the
American political field
"The Monroe Doctrine is solely a
policy OF self-defense, which is intended
to preserve the independence and in
tegrity Of the Americas" he said. Then
he referred overtly to German wishes
for Monroe Doctrine" in Southeastern
Europe and Japanese wishes for Mon.
roe Doctrine" in Asia: The Monroe
Doctrine never has resembled, and it
does not today resemble policies which
appear to be arising in other geograph-
1cal areas OF the world, which are
alleged to be similar to the Monroe Doc
trine but which, instead of resting on
the sole policy of self-defense and of re-
spect for existing sovereignties, as does
the Monroe Doctrine, would in reality
seem to be only the pretext for the
carrying out of conquest by the sword,
OF military occupation and of complete
economic and political domination bv
certain powers of other free and inde-
pendent peoples"
AS Mr.. Hull spoke in washington.
President Roosevelt spoke in Hyde Park,
where he is spending the week end. He
talked to the press on permanent peace.
.. The first essential for it's
nooseVe't birth, he said, is freedom
on Peoce from fear, to be accom-.
panied by freedom of dis
cussion and freedom Of opinion-free-
doms which the German way does not
recognize. The bindery of this per-
manent peace, he said, would be dis
armament
Meanwhile, his chief assistants in the
formulation Of the national defense pro-
gram were whipping into shape request
to go before Congress next week for s5,-
/ 600 900 900 in new funds for arms. ONLY
few days earlier he had signed legisla-
ton clearing the way for immediate ex-
pansion of the United States Navy into
the largest sea force In the world. To
help pay for the arms, he sent q brief
message to Congress requesting a steep
" graduated excess profits tax, to be ap-
piled to all individuals and corporations
without discrimination In the ofing
was a message from the President on
compulsory military training. The Sem
ate Military Affairs Committee and
Naval Affairs Committee took steps
toward assisting the President in the un-
folding of his national defense policy by
approving the nominations of Repub-
licans Henry Stimson as Secretary Of
War and Frank Knox as Secretary of
the Navy. Tomorrow, it is expected, the
Senate will consider the nominations in
body.
Both these Republicans denied the
charge they are "interventionists. Both
upheld the policy of material aid to
Britain. Mr.. Stimson received commit
tee approval by vote of
compulsory IA to 3, Mr.. Knox by 9 to
Troinine 5. When it was finished
with the problem Of Mr..
Stimson, the Senate Military Affairs
Committee turned to hearings on the
bill by Senator Burke, Democrat, of
Nebraska, providing for compulsory mill
tary training in the United States. A
series Of distinguished witnesses, headed
by Gen. John J. Pershing and James B.
Conant, president of Harvard Univer-
sity, indorsed the bill.
Such measure, in my opinion" Gen.
Pershlng wrote to the committee, would
promote democracy by bringing into in
Innate contact and on equal footing
young men in all walks of life. More
over, 1t might we'll be the determining
factor IN keeping us out of war"
Ihe threat against us Is not only
physical DR.. Conant said, "the threat
is against our entire way of life. The
training of personnel, like the produc-
ton OF instruments, is essential at once.
Under modern conditions, it is obvious
that we cannot wait to prepare-we can
not wait for declaration of war or the
moment of attack"
Supplementing these domestic moves to
insure the peace of America is the West =
ern Hemisphere movement. The week,
produced statements by both Argentina.
and Cuba for all-American solidarity
In Buenos Aires, Foreign Minister Jose
Maria Cantilo said that his country Will
support a policy of continental soli-s
darity and autonomy of action" when
the foreign ministers of all the American
republics meet in emergency session att
Havana July 20. Whether this Indicated
real support of the solidarity mover:sass
will be tested at the conference.
The Cuban government Is taking a.
more sweeping view of the inter -Ameris
can situation. Its cabinet last week
declared its support of any stand fors
continental American peace which may
be proposed at the meeting. The cabinet
said Cuba would lend complete co-opera .