Evening star., 1941-11-30
Roosevelt Formula
To Resist Aggressors
Separately Revealed
Hemisphere Defense Plan
Proposed in Talk With
Press in 1888, Disclosed
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Star staff Correspondent.

Americas "only chance" of ever
defending this hemisphere and the
Philippine Islands against more than
one enemy-perhaps the Berlin
Toxic Axis-reSts in being "a bit
shifty on your feet" to the point OF
licking first one aggressor and then
the other.
This formula for defense and ap-
praisal of its potential effectiveness,
perhaps soon TO be tested, was pro-
mulgated by President Roosevelt at
an of -the-record press conference
In the White House on April 20,
1898. with representatives Of the
associated church press. Transcript
Of the conference was released by the
White House today in advance OF its
publication In the forthcoming set
Of Roosevelt papers, due to appear
shortly in book form.
On that same occasion, the Chief
Executive revealed a fear that a
Fascist movement might arise in the
United States, in his mind linking
this danger with possible foreign in
filtration or invasion of the Western
Hemisphere by Germany or other
European powers.
Court Conference Included.
Also included in the material re-
leased today. which embraced press
conferences from January %, 1887,
to December 10. 1888. were off-the-
record meetings with editors and
publishers Of trade papers on April
8. 1898. and with members of the
American Society of Newspaper Edi-
tors on April 81. 1888. Regular press
conferences covered in the release
included that of February 5. 1887,
when Mr. Roosevelt announced his
plans for reorganizing the Federal
Judiciary and increasing the size of
the Supreme Court.
Other high lights of these un-
publicized conferences we're: To
the trade paper executives a COM
plant that industry consistently
gave Zip service" to many of the
New Deal principles" but just as
consistently fought bitterly against
application for reforms which would
achieve the lauded objective.
In this connection Mr.. Roosevelt
cited opposition to the wage-houl
law and to tax reform legislation
going on also to rap at opponents
of his Government reorganization
plans.
To the church press an eXplana-
ton that one potent reason fol
maintaining the Neutrality Act en-
barge on munitions shipments dur
ing later stages of the Spanish civi
war was the fact that the Franco
government had won control of the
seas and that lifting of the embargo
would have served to its sole ad-
vantage with corresponding disad-
vantage to the Loyalists.
To the newspaper editors an ex-
preston of fear that an American
movement based on racial intol-
erance might be developed although
the danger is less than it was 1C
or 20 years ago.
Editing Is Cited.
At this latter conference Mr.
Roosevelt also took occasion to
charge American newspapers with
great responsibility for the incitine
of fear mostly through what he
called hundreds Of cases Of unfair
newspaper editing.
In discussing the conduct of the
press. the President directed critica
mention at different points to the
Associated Press, the New York Sur
and the Chicago Tribune. Although
under questioning he specifically
avoided saying the Associated Pres!
was unfair, he made the assertion
that he never expected the A. P
"to give my side the lead" the be-
ginning and more prominent por'
ton of newspaper story.
BY way of explanation Mr.. Roose.
velt said that in cases of a con-
gressional debate over an admin.
istration issue the lead and tht
headlines Of IS per cent of the larger
papers of the country will feature
the speech of the minority member
the anti-administration forces ol
the House or the Senate. The Pres
ident closed this portion of his con.
ference with the editors by assert
tng that:
You never saw me walking ur
md down with a long face because
Of anything I ever read in any
newspaper. There is difference
from the incumbent of seven year!
ago Herbert Hoover)."
Actually, he continued, the press
which was unfairly critical of Mr.
Hoover, did no more service to thu
country than that which has beer
similarly critical of the Roosevelt
administration The chief executive
warned the newspaper editors tn
spread of public distrust in the pres
would be a serious misfortune no
only to the fourth estate, but to tn
Nation.
Neutrality Discussion.
During discussion of the neutral