Evening star., 1941-08-16

how the United States Government
strove to avert the march of aggres-
sion in Europe.
The historic conference between
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Churchill
was the fulfillment of an IDEA which
the President has long cherished,
namely, that personal contact be-
tween the men who have the cares
and responsibilities of state can
often iron out differences and build
an understanding on which future
decisions can be made.
Trans ns-AtlantiC conversations can
sometimes be overheard by hostile
esvesdrOppers. Conferences by writ
ten message are too often formal
and ambiguous. Messages sent
through ambassadors and inter-
mediarieS are frequently unsatis-
factory because too much time
elapses between answers that must
be sought from the absent principal.
Mr.. Roosevelt had much to talk
over with the British Prime Min
ister-speculation about future con-
tIngencies and hypothetical moves
that might have to be considered If
Berlin or Toxic makes certain Coun-
termoves. Altogether it was an
opportunity for conference not only
between the President and the
Prime Minister but between their
ranking military, naval and aerial
officers.
Atlantic Rule Indicated.
The meeting serves to emphasize
that the British and American
Fleets have command of the Allan
tic. No Nazi seaplanes knew of the
rendezvous and. if they did, the
forces present were adequate to deal
with intruders. When the two heads
of state can get away in safety to
meet in midocean in time Of deSper-
ate submarine and aerial warfare
and each can come home safely. it
is a sign that Nazi power is still far
from lnvinclble or all-perVaSive.
1t is interesting to consider what
might have been the history Of the
present era if both Hitler and Mus
Soiini could have met with the Presi-
dent of the United States. Would
there have been a program of medi-
alton and perhaps economic assist
anCe such as would have made the
alleged reasons for economic eXpan-
sion on the part Of Germany less
important? The President was in a
mood to look effectively at the
whole European situation. He was
ready to meet on a battleship some
where off the Azores in fact. he was
willing to let some one draw a line
near enough to the Western Hemi-
sphere so that the rulers might
come to what might be considered
halfway point.
This was not the only effort made
by Mr.. Roosevelt to prevent war in
Europe. The diplomatic files are full
of his messages sent through Am
bassadors and Ministers at Rome
and Berlin and there were plenty of
conversations here in Washington
with the diplomats representing
Germany and Italy. On the whole,
when the leaders of the two great
demoCracies met last Sunday to
plan measures of mutual defense
and to offer TO the world a program
for the maintenance of peace, it
was not the fault of the United
States that Germany and Italy
found themselves excluded from the
help and support of the most power
full Nation in the world-the coun-
try that has given proof again and
again that it can enter and leave
international councils with disin-
terestedness and unselfshness.
Few Sour Notes" Here.
Reports that the eight points are
to be printed and reprinted and
leaflets spread over Germany and
occupied territories are in line with
the unqUestioned motive back of the
Roosevelt Churchill meeting, namely,
to bring the pressure of the moral
force of all mankind to bear in
hastening an end to the war.
The sour notes in Washington are
few. Here and there an occasional
criticism of an irrelevant nature
such as the fact that the news came
first from London instead of Wash
ington or that the meeting was held
in secret and the American report
erS were not present. The fact is
the British reporters were not pres
ent either-only officials Of the Brit
ish government department of in
formation. AS for the meeting place,
it could not have been announced
in advance without subjecting the
Prime Minister to danger and, after
all, the British government is ac-
tually at war and hence must be
given precedent in determining
where and how its warships shall
be deployed so as to escape enemy
detection.
Preparation for the meeting took
weeks of careful thought and secret
planning, but this was not because
the results were subsequently to be
kept secret. On the contrary, in
contrast to what happens at Bren-
ner Pass when Hitler and Mussolini
get together, more than two people
confer as representing the democ-
racies and there is afterward in the
case OF British h-American confer
ences, a comprehensive statement of
purposes so that all the world may
know of the steps which are being
taken to achieve peace.
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