Evening star., 1940-09-19
Munich Controversy Recalls We||es' Speech
Underseereoy of Stote in Rodio Forum
Told Of Port Roosevelt Played in September, 1888

peace. All governments. without
exception, which the President ad-
dressed, expressed their appreciation
of the action taken, and in many in
stances took similar steps. Many
others were preparing to do so when
changing circumstances made such
a step unnecessary.
simultaneously, early in the after
noon of September q, the President
sent through the American AM
bassador in Rome a personal and
confidential appeal to the chief of
the Italian government, informing
him of the action which he had
already taken in the interest of
peace, and asking whether Signor
Mussolini would not also extend his
help In the continuation of efforts
to arrive at an agreement upon the
questions at issue by negotiation or
by other pacific means rather than
by resort to force. While this mes
sage was not formally placed in
the hands of Signor Mussolini until
4 o'clock in the afternoon of the
following day, the pufport of the
Presidents appeal was known to
the Italian government about
quarter before 10 o'clock on the
morning of September %.
AS the minutes passed on Tues
day afternoon there was no question
but that Europe was on the brink of
war Clashes between the Czech
forces and the Sudeten Germans
were increasing in severity. The
British fleet was fully modified
The British territorial reserves had
been called out Vast mobilization
DEGREES had been issued in France.
German merchant vessels through
out the world had been recalled to
home waters and were leaving the
ports where they were with the
utmost rapidity Stock markets
were crashing. The evacuation of
children and civilian. populations
from European capitals was under
way. Requests had been received
by this Government to take over
the interests OF foreign govern
ments In view of the likelihood Of
war. Finally, information of un-
questioned authenticity had been
received by this Government that 2
O'Clock in the afternoon Of Wednes-
day. September %, had been fixed
for the entrance of the German
Armies into Czecho-Slovakia
Text of Note to Hitler.
The President then reached the
conclusion that in the interest OF
peace he must make one further ap-
peal and this time solely to the Ger
man Chancellor. At 10 o'clock on
the night Of September 27 he sent
the following message l wish to
read TO you its full text:
I desire to acknowlege your
excellency's reply to my telegram
of September rs. was confident
that you would coincide in the
opinion expressed regarding the
unforeseeable consequences and
the incalculable disaster which
would result to the entire world
from the outbreak of a European
war.
The question before the world
today, Mr.. Chancellor, is not the
question of errors of judgment or
OF injustices committed in the
past. 1t is the question of the
fate of the world today and to-
morrow. The world asks of us
who at this moment are heads of
nations the supreme capacity to
achieve the destinies of nations
without forcing upon them, as
price. the mutilation and death
of millions of citizens.
Resort to force in the Great
War failed to bring tranquility.
Victory and defeat were alike
sterile That lesson the world
should have learned. For that
reason above all others I ad-
dressed on September 26 my ap-
peal to your eXcellency and to
the President of Czecho-
and to the Prime Ministers of
Great Britain and of France.
The two points sought to en-
phaSiZe we're: First, that all mat
tiers of difference between the
German government and the
Czecho-Slovak government could
and should be settled by pacific
methods. and. second, that the
threatened alternative of the use
of force on a scale likely to re-
suit in a general war is as un-
necessary as it is unjustiflable.
1t is, therefore. supremely impor-
tant that negotiations should
continue without interruption
until fair and constructive
solution is reached.
My conviction OF these two
points is deepened because re-
sponsible statesmen have official
ly stated that an agreement in
principle has already been
reached between the government
Of the German Reirn and the gov
ernment of Czecho-Slovakia. AL
though the precise time, method
end detail of carving out that
agreement remain at issue.
Negotiations Still Open"
Whatever existing differences
may be, and whatever their merits
may be-and upon them l do not
and need not undertake to pass
my appeal was solely that negoti-
ations be continued until peace
full settlement is found, and that
thereby a resort to force be
avoided
Present negotiations still stand
open. They can be continued if
you will give the word. Should the
need for supplement:ng them be-
come evident, nothing stands in
the way of widening their scope
into a conference of all the ma
tions directly interested in the
present controversy Such meet
ing to be held implediately-in