Evening star., 1948-02-07
The Memoirs of CordeN Hull
RooseveIt's Peace Appeals at Time Of Munich
Reused Apprehensions in Secretary of State
CHAPTER IL.

| CHAT IEh IL.
Alarming dispatches poured to my
desk in August, 1888, as the crisis
over Czechoslavakia again seemed
imminent. Feverish peace negotia-
tions were under way principally be-
tween Britain and Germany Walter
Runciman whom I had seen In
Washington in 1887, had been sent
by the British to Prague to mediate
between the Czechs and the Sudeten
Nazis. At the same time Hitler was
seemingly preparing an invasion OF
Czechoslovakia. ...
Just prior to Prime Minister
Chamberlain's departure on Sep
tember Is, for the first of his series
Of personal talks with Hitler, the
British Foreign Once suggested to
Ambassador Kennedy that they
would appreciate any comment the
President might wish to make on
this development.
At press conference on that day
I said: THE historic conference to-
day between the Prime Minister of
Great Britain and the Chancellor
|of Germany is naturally being OBJ
served with the greatest interest by
all nations which are deeply con-
cerned in the preservation of peace. :"
AS kilograms flowed into the de-
partment from Europe, and tension
heightened, went repeatedly to the
White House for visits with the
President. I likewise frequently
sent Undersecretary Welles and AS
sistant Secretary Berle to the White
House with information and COM
ment. Ambassadors Bullitt and
Kennedy telephoned me almost
daily.
Press Criticism Mounts.
Chamberlain went back to Ger
many on September "a to see Hitler
again. AS 1t became evident that
the British and French governments
were bringing strong pressure on the
Czech government to yield to Hit
ler's demands, criticism mounted in
the American press that Czechoslo-
vakia was being sold out to Hitler.
Kennedy telephoned me from
London on September "a about an
apparent split in the British cab
met. Chamberlain, he said, believed
in peace at any price," while some
other members of the cabinet said
they did not want to take any more
back talk from Hitler" and believed
they would have Ito fight anyhow"
He said Col. Charles Lindbergh,
who was enormously impressed by
Hermann Goering's air force, had
been called in by the British for
consultation. Lindbergh had already
reported to us that he believed Ger
many was easily capable of combat
ting a combined air force of all
other European countries.
That same day Bullitt telegraphed
from Paris his belief that some eff
fort should be made by us to main
tain peace, even If it were unsuc-
cessful. He suggested an appeal
by the President to the British,
French, Italian, German and Polish
chiefs of state to send representa-
tives to The Hague to settle the
crisis, and that we should indicate
DUR willingness to be represented.
Benes Appeals to President.
On the following day, the 25th,
Wilbur j. Carr, our Minister to
Prague, who had been Assistant |
Secretary of State when I entered
the department, telegraphed a plea |
from President Benes that Presi-
dent Roosevelt urge the British and
French not to desert Czechoslovakia
and allow her destruction, thereby
bringing closer great conflict en-
bracing not only Czechoslovakia
but also the world.
The President and I had already
oeen discussing what action to take.
The President was prepared to
make personal appeals to the heads
If the European governments con-
,erned. My own thought was that,
while I did not oppose the making
of these appeals, I was not con-
linced that the results would JUS
;ify them.
I said to the President I felt that
he evidence we had been receiving
vas overwhelming that Germany
vas armed to the teeth and was
1ent on widespread aggression at
Ill hazards, and that nothing short
If a sufficient amount of force or
complete capitulation would halt
Hitler in the pursuit of his plans.
This meant that any steps to deal
With Hitler short of suitable force
would necessarily be of an appease-
nent nature and purely temporary.
I feared lest too ardent steps by
he President should throw us into
he same appeasement camp with
Chamberlain and sooner or later
.ttract the same obloquy that
Chamberlain received. I thought
;uch steps might mislead peaceful