Evening star., 1940-04-22

JODEfH ALOOf.
sending an expeditionary force to
Europe.
The authors emphasize that pub
lie opinion would control the course
| of action in face of the third al
Tentative more than any other and
warn that "the square question is
extremely likely to present itself,
at least, in economic form"
They point out that according to
English and French estimates their
assets for buying materials here
will be exhausted with two years
or two years and half. Unless the
war ends before then, the writer's
add, 1--WE shall have to choose be-
tween giving the allies credit, sup
plies, or gold, and taking the con-
sequences of German victory"
Outright gifts of goods or gold to
buy them would be more practical
than loans in the view of present
American policy makers, they re-
port.
Fundamentals of the administra-
ton policy were decided upon in
broad outline in a series of quiet
talks between the President, Secre-
tary Hull and Mr.. Welles during the
fall of 1898, the book relates. when.
after Munich" they recognized
that a world war obviously i'm
pended and even our two protecting
oceans could not isolate us from its
after effects"
There was the realization, it con-
tinues, that:
"At best, the war would prob
ably be followed by worldwide eco
nomic chaos, with cruel attendant
strains on our economy.
"At worst the new states typifed
by Germany would triumph, becom-
ing the dominant world powers and
placing the American democracy in
what Berle once described as the
unfortunate position of an old-fash-
ioned general store in a town full
OF hard bitten chains
ITO the President, Hull and
Welles our interest seemed clear.
We must prevent war if possible and
If war proved inevitable we must do
our best to assure victory for the
democracies."
Decided on Embargo Repeal.
One thing reported decided upon
| then was repeal of the arms en-
barge, which Secretary Hull is said
to have been convinced would have
cut the chances of war in half by
serving notice to Hitler that Amer
lean war materials would be avail
able to England and France.
The book gives a vivid account
Of ensuing administration efforts to
repeal the embargo before war
broke out-efforts that did not sue
ceed until last November, two
months too late.
In giving an intimate description
of White House meeting with
Senate leaders last summer the au-
thors quote Mr.. Roosevelt as re-
capitulating his repeated efforts in
behalf of peace and urging prompt
embargo repeal because:
Now I have fired my last shot.
think I ought to have another
round in my belt"
They also quote Secretary Hull as
telling Senators privately that he
| regarded repeal of the embargo as
the greatest step we can take to
guard the country's interests, both
to keep the peace and in the event
OF war;" and once declaring:
why, dammit, these nations have
told us again and again what they
mean to do. Hitler intends to make
himself the colossus of Europe, while
Japan places her heel or Asia. If
they succeed, we will have to trans
act our business with the rest of the
world through Toxic and Berlin.
I'VE know all this, and yet we re-
tain this embargo, which directly
encourages Hitler, makes war more
likely, and threatens our own peace
and safety. Back home we call peo-
pie who do that kind of thing Just
plain chuckle-headed."
Hull Predicted War.
At the White House meeting which
resulted in failure of the President
and Secretary of State to convince
the Senate leaders that repeal of the
arms embargo should not be delayed,
Mr.. Hull was quoted as predicting
fatty that war would come before
the end of last summer unless repeal
was voted.
The Alsop and Kintner book gives
the following account of a dramatic
interchange said to have occurred
then between Secretary Hull and the
late Senator Borah, leader of the
isolationists:
"'No one can tell what may hap
pen,' Borah said, interrupting Hull.
But my feeling and belief is that
we are not going to have q war.
Germany isn't ready for it,
"I wish the Senator would come
down to my Office and read the
cables Hull answered, with sort
of sad patience. I'm sure he would
come to the conclusion that there's
far more danger of war than he
thinks
$50 far as the reports in your de-
partment are concerned, I wouldn't
be bound by them countered
Borah firmly. I have my own
sources of information which I have
provided for myself, and on several
occasions I've found them more re-
liable than the State Department
"Such was the crucial exchange,
which sould stand for many years
as a symbol of the results of divided
responsibility in the formation of
foreign policy Tears act
ually came to Hull's eyes"
Bullitt Warned Of Soviet Pact.
As an example of the accuracy
of State Department information
the book reveals that Ambassador
Bullitt had warned as long ago as
1894 Of the possibility of Russo
German pact, which surprised the
rest of the world last August 81.
The department was informed Of
thu iv,roiro,,co of tho mort durin0