Evening star., 1940-12-30
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diction that the axis powers will lose
the war. They devoted about the same
amount Of space to Senator Burton
X. Wheeler's address to the National
Youth Anti-War Congress.
The Presidents reverence to
China's great defense" against
Japan was interpreted in Toxic as
an indication that Washington AL
ready had decided on additional sup
port for Generalissimo Chang Kai.
sheks government and is not dis
posed toward conciliatory conversa.
tions on the forthcoming arrival in
Washington of the new japanese
Ambassador, Admiral Kichisaburo
Nomura.
The pointed references in the
speech to the Rome Berlin Toxic
pact were interpreted as meant to
reply to repeated statements by
Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka
that this alliance is not aimed at
the United States. Of1icial comment
was not available.
In Vichy some official French
sources described Mr.. Roosevelt's
address as "sensa tional," while other
official comment tended to minimize
its significance with assertions that
he failed to present statistics on
United States defense production to
prove that Americas bite would
equal her bark"
Switzerland's press, which has
been careful to maintain neutrality
since the start of the war, carried
full and direct quota tions from
President Roosevelt's talk, but made
no editorial comment.
The only newspaper published in
Madrid on Monday morning, the
Monday Officisl Bulletin, promi-
nently displayed an account of
President Roosevelt's broadcast, but
made no editorial comment
Two Specific Actions Cited.
Writing in II Giornale dItalia,
Gayda cited two specific actions
which. he said, would mean open
United States intervention for
which no excuse could be created"
But he indicated the axis would
not take any action until they had
been put into effect.
The steps which Gayda said
would bring America close to war
/ were any attempt by American flag
ships to force counter-blockad
or the ceSsion to Britain of German
and Italian ships now taking refuge
in United States hsrbors.
Gayda asserted that, in itself, the
Presidents speech had produced
nothing new" He said 1t only con-
flrmed the passage of the United
States first from neutrality to non
belligerency and from that to a
state short of war"
Italian political circles said they
/ found nothing to worry about in
Mr.. Roosevelt's call for increased
aid to Britain. adding that it failed
to shake their faith in ultimate
victory.
The first impression was that the
speech added nothing new to the
situation, only ''reiterating more
explicitly the concept and ideas the
President personally or the Ameri-
can press already had exposed"
Official Comment Withheld
Ofiicial comment was withheld, it
was said. because weather dis
turbances interfered with reception
of the speech, particularly at the
beginning.
Earlier. political circles in Rome
said the Presidents speech put them
on guard for specific proposals In his
Forthcoming message to Congress
which they might regard as virtual
acts of war.
Without Monday morning news
papers. Italians had to wait until
the noon editions of the afternoon
press for 300-word summary OF
the radio talk distributed by Stefani.
official Italian news agency. in
which only so words were quoted
directly from the Presidents text.
Although the Stefani summary
reported President Roosevelt's warn
ing of possible aggressive intentions
of the axis powers in the Western
Hemisphere, it failed to mention
his reference to tyranny" and to
the "unholy alliance to
enslave the human race"
Neither did 1t report his defense
of Americas neutrality with it's
comparison of American arms ship
ments with Russian oil and Swedish
steel shipments to Germany. 1t
likewise ignored his remark that
Italians did not know how soon
they will be embraced to death
by their allies"
British official circles said they
welcomed Mr., Roosevelt's talk "as
further proof of the courage and
tude toward the European conflict.
The spokesman said that the
American Executives recognition
OF the futility of appeasement was
noted with especial satisfaction"
He added that a definition of
the American role as an arsenal
for democracy and the express
sion OF belief in the ultimate
defeat of the axis would "be q
source of inspiration and courage to
the leaders and people of Great
Britain"
He said the good will and prom
ises of American assistance in gath
ering volume, and above all with the
utmost speed. are of no less than
vital Importance to the people of
Britain, who are determined to
continue the war. no matter what
the cost until the dangers that beset
democracy are finally overcome"
Negotiated Peace Ruled Out.
1taly's hostile response to Mr..
Roosevelt's speech followed rejection
yesterday by the Fascist press of