The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-31
Marshall Claims German
! Peace Proposal Rebuffed
Says High Nazi Officials Pro
posed Just Terms Short
ly After War Started

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3d. a.
Verne Marshall, chairman OF the
No Foreign War committee, SAID
today that the administration had
rebuffed a Nazi offer to negotiate
an honorable and just peace
with the Allies through President
Roosevelt in 1889, but the State de-
partment promptly announced tina
it had received no feasible" peace
proposal.
Marshall told a press conference
that W. R. Davis, New York OIL
operator who, he said, had sold ex-
propriated Mexican oil to the Axis
powers before the war, brought
the peace offer to this country in
q document initiated by Hermann
Goering and other high Nazis a
month after the war started.
Many obstacles were placed in
: the way of Davis mission, Mar
& shall asserted, and it proved fruit
less on account of official indiffer-
ence here. But he maintained that
even now Davis would be able to
arrange for a peace conference If
given official sanction.
The State department immedi-
ately issued a statement saying
that naturally individual citizens
often volunteer to the State de-
partment information and sugges-
tons pertaining to some phase OF
international affairs" and that
"these are always co%urteously re-
ceived."
Nothing, however, has come to
the State department on the SUBJ
ject mentioned which has proved
feasible" the statement added.
Furthermore, the government
can only conduct important inter-
national affairs effectively through
duly authorized and official chan
nels created for that purpose
Marshall was asked by reporters
whether he thought it made any
difference to the United States
which side won the war. He re-
piled that the people want the
war won by the side which can
dictate a sound economic peace"
to eliminate future conflict. Asked
whether the German proposal
brought by Davis met this condi-
ton, he replied, absolutely"
Marshall, editor Of the Cedar
Rapids dowa) Gazette, recounted
the details at a press conference
when reporters quizzed him as to
whether Davis was giving financial
support to the No Foreign War
committee. The editor said Davis
had offered to assist.
Marshall also was asked whether
Col. Charles A. Lindbergh was a
member of the committee.
"Col. Lindbergh warned me re-
peatedly,' he replied, against let
our support. I said to him, The
ting his name appear publicly in
sooner you walk up fifth avenue
as an executive Of our commit
tee, the happier I'll be-"
To further questions about Davis
and his activities, Marshall related
that the oil man went abroad by
clipper in September, 1889, latter
a. lengthy conference at the White
House with President Roosevelt
Il and Adolph Berle of the state de-
partment" and that "the President
knew what he was going for"
Efforts were made at Bermuda
to stop Davis from proceeding.
Maeshall continued, but he sue
ceeded in getting through.
I ION Oct. 9 or thereabouts," Mar
shall's account continued, Davis
landed at Port Washington, N. Y,
bringing a complete agenda as con-
ceived and taxed down in short
hand by several stenographers at
a conference that lasted parts of
three days. That's all I'm going
to say about the conference"
1.-The conference was in Berlin?"
J A reporter inquired.
! That's all Pm going to say
about the conference" Marshall
! reiterated.
! Davis delivered at the state
department the agenda for what
l appears to me would have been
I presented for the consideration OF
a peace conference.
!: 1.-THE document itself in plain
words agreed that President Roose-
welt would be the mediator at a
( conference in the White House. Il
indicated the identity of the plen-
; ipotentiaries who would be sent.
Davis had it translated into En-.
{ glish."
I From the German language?"
J a reporter asked.
HE had it translated into En-.
glish," Marshall repeated.
"He notified the White House he
was here. They asked him to sub.
init it to the state department. He
declined, explaining he thought i
should be placed only before the
{ President. After jockeying bach
and forth all of one day, he final,
agreed to take it to the state de
Z partment and submit it to Berle
Davis was so mystified by al
these circumstances that he refus
ed to give Berle the original docu
ment, initiated by all the higl
government officials of at leas
two governments who attended tn,
conference on these peace propo
{ sails, but gave him a copy. Berl
: was exercised-he was mad.
2 Davis didn't give him the origi
1have a CODY"