Evening star., 1940-02-10
Roosevelt Denounces Russia
As Barrier to Any Peace Now
In Talk to Youth Congress
Brands as 'TwuddIe'
Claim Finn Aid
Is Step to War
(Tert OF the Presidents Address
on Page A-10J
By JOHN c. HENRY.


munistic government, President
Roosevelt declared today that his
hopes that the Soviet would eventu-
ally become a loving member
of the family of nations has been
"either shattered or put away in
storage against a better day"
Addressing delegates to the Ameri-
can Youth Congress from the south
portico of the White House, the
President delivered one of his most
strongly -worded and significant ad-
dresses bearing on our relations
with any foreign government.
On several occasions throughout
his half-hour address. the Chief
pointedly warned the Youth Con-
gress, itself often accused of Com
munistic domination, that its men,
bers have a sacred duty to confine
their reform efforts to the consti-
tutional processes of the United
States Government.
You have no American right, by
act or deed of any kind" he re-
marked sharply, ito subvert the
Government and the Constitution of
this Nation -
Finn Aid Foes Assailed.
In bitter tone. even though with
a smile, the President described as
''unadulterated twaddle" the conten-
sion by one of the congress affiliates
that American efforts to aid Finland
constitute an attempt to force this
country into an imperialistic war.
That reasoning was unadul-
terated twaddle, he raped, based
perhaps on sincerity. but, at the
Same time, on 80 per cent ignorance
Of what they were talking about"
Proceeding then into the whole
controversial Finnish-Russian issue,
the President described the smaller
Baltic nation as one wishing solely
to maintain its own territorial and
governmental integrity. Nobody
with any pretense at common sense
believes that Finland had any
Interior designs on the integrity of
the Soviet Union"
That American sympathy is SO
per cent with the Firms in their
effort to stave off invasion of their
own soil is by now automatic. That
America wants to help them by
lending or giving money to them to
save their own lives is also automatic
by now. That the Soviet Union
would, because of this, declare war
on the United States is about the
most absurd thought that I have
ever heard advanced in the So years
of my life.
War Table Called Absurd.
THAT we are going to war with
the Soviet Union is an equally silly
thought and, therefore, while I have
not the slightest objection in the
world to the passing of futile reso-
lutions by conventions, 1 do think
that there is room for Improvement
In common sense thinking and def
mite room for improvement in the art
of not passing resolutions concerning
things one knows very little about.
And so suggest that all of you
smile and-dont do it again"
OF Soviet Russia, the President
admitted the utmost sympathy 20
years ago for the Russian people and
definite hopes that the leaders of
Communism would bring a better
era to their nation. In it's early
days, he remarked, the Communis-
tic movement brought improved
education. better health and greater
opportunity to millions who had
been kept in ignorance and serfdom
under the imperial regime
At the same time, Mr.. Roosevelt
added, he disliked the regimentation
under Communism, abhorred in
discriminate killings and deprecated
the banishment of religion.
Il hoped that Russia would work
out its own problems and that their
government would eventually be-
come a peace-loving popular govern
ment which would not interfere
with the integrity of its neighbors.
That hope is today either shat
tered or put away in storage against
a better day. The Soviet Union, as
a matter Of practiced fact, is
dictatorship as absolute as any
other dictatorship in the world. 1t
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-7)