Show hitler mussolini bussolin ignore roosevelt president sounds alarm as aggressor nations arm for conflict by sp special elal arrangement with colliers lie weekly and western newspaper un union on this newspaper presents in c condensed form the fourth in a series serie s of articles by president dent roo Koo loosevelt s sevelt eve it currently appearing in that meg magazine azine the articles are arc taken from the presidents newly written introductions to forthcoming volu volumes mes of his state papers THE FIGHT GOES ON IV war and neutrality by franklin D roosevelt copyright 1941 1041 by franklin D roosevelt 1 t orl by y the Crowell collier CoHler publishing C co R reproduction e p r in n whole or in part is to forbidden bidden N 1939 there ther e started another general IN war for or which germany h had ad been preparing since 1933 and tor for which italy and japan had been P preparing e paring for or years before it Is a war which had been definitely and unmistakably s foreseeable since 1936 when the nazis marched arched in into the rhineland I 1 think that historians will record the fact that ever since 1933 the united states and its government had persistently and actively sought to prevent this conflict and to preserve peace in n the world this search for peace was the very keystone of our entire foreign policy it was dictated not only by a natural humanitarian desire to prevent the bloodshed and horrors of war but also by a realistic appreciation that any european war would be a definite danger to our own peace and security and to the welfare of the entire western hemisphere in other ways too the government of the united states actively sought to preserve the peace of the world the two great obstacles to world peace in modern times have always been first the piling up of armaments particularly weapons of offense and second the erection of tariff barriers to prevent reciprocal t trade rade and commerce between nations t with respect to disarmament this administration took the lead as A war which had been definitely and unmistakably foreseeable since 1936 11 with respect to disarmament this administration took the lead as early as may 1933 the peace of the world was being jeopardized by a handful of relentless men in my annual message to the congress on january 4 1939 1 I pointed out that all about us undeclared wars were raging during 1939 in april on behalf of the american people I 1 early as may 16 1933 on that date I 1 addressed an appeal to all the nations of the world in an endeavor to obtain some definite result from the disarmament conference which had been meeting rather ineffective ly in geneva since 1932 armaments m in governments had been persistently increasing international trade had been continually falling off 08 because of newly imposed quotas and other trade barriers in my message to the nations of the world I 1 pointed out that only a very small minority of governments and of peoples have any desire for aggression or for enlargement of their own territories at the expense of others I 1 pointed out that it if armament of offensive warfare were eliminated the tear fear of invasion then held by so many other nations would necessarily disappear I 1 appealed therefore for drastic reduction in offensive weapons I 1 also asked that all the nations of the world should enter into a solemn pact cause for or war in this same message there was also discussed the necessity of breaking down international trade barriers which always go hand in hand with increase of armaments as a cause for war the difficulty with this appeal and with subsequent appeals was this although 90 per cent of all the people of the earth were content with the territorial limits of their respective countries and would have been willing to reduce their 0 wn own armed forces if every other nation in the world would agree to do the same thing the possibility that the remaining 10 per cent would seek by force of firms arms territorial expansion into the lands of their neighbors provided an ever present danger which could not be disregarded by any one that small 10 per cent under various pleas and pretexts remained unwilling to reduce their own armament or to stop their vast programs of rearmament even though the other 90 per cent were more than willing the peace odthe of the world was being jeopardized by a handful of relentless men who sought selfish power for themselves apparently american efforts to limit world armaments to bring about peaceful settlement of disputes among nations were to tail fail 7 S 1 for two years from october in 1937 to september in 1941 president roosevelt broadcast repeated warnings that america could not escape E european european internal troubles and pleaded through state notes to hitler and mussolini for a world peace conference the dictators scorned a direct reply littler hitler right views a part of his mighty air armada la in 1910 1940 which was even then blasting old world cities in his effort to conquer more land for the reich mussolini left assumes a characteristic pose as he addresses the italian people on the eve of war the chief executive sent a message to all important powers in europe on august 24 1939 A second urgent note was delivered to hitler alone on the next day exactly one week later war was declared the swastika mark of the germans shown at the right of the picture floats over crushed paris with the famed eiffel tower in the background the french fought fiercely but accepted an armistice on june 22 1910 2940 since that date the war has spread almost entirely over the face of the globe even affecting the normal life of american citizens thus carrying out president roose belts prophecy in chicago in 1937 that unless present european conditions were remedied america would eventually have to face the problems arising from acts of aggression it was later that I 1 pointed out that the recent systematic violation of treaties the indiscriminate bombing of civilians were wiping away the very landmarks ot of law order and justice which had characterized our civilization I 1 warned that it if those things come to pass in other parts of the world let no one imagine that america will escape that america may expect mercy that this western hemisphere will not be attacked I 1 called upon the peace loving nations to make a concerted effort in opposition to those violations of treaties and those thos e ig 19 gorings of humane instincts which today are creating a state of international anarchy and instability presidential highlights again sent messages to hitler and mussolini I 1 received no direct an answer awer to this suggestion tor for world peace from either hitler or mussolini what I 1 was suggesting was a peace conference with every blodys guns parked outside 1 I have had a fine holiday ill be back in the fall if we do not have a war we could not sell a single plane or tank or gun to great britain or france once war was declared no nation can be safe in its will to peace so long as any other powerful nation refuses to settle its grievances at the council table I 1 therefore urged again upon the congress the necessity of increased national defense to protect our ourselves selve a against attack and other forms of aggression offer americas services during 1839 1939 on april 14 on behalf of the american people I 1 again sent messages to hitler and mussolini suggesting another approach to the solution of the problem of avoiding war and preserving the press As the head of a nation tar far removed from europe I 1 offered to serve as a friendly intermediary I 1 asked for assurances from hitler and mussolini however that their armed forces would not attack or invade any of the independent nations of europe or the near east for a period of 10 years I 1 stated that I 1 was reasonably sure that if such ass assurances arances were given each of the other nations would give similar reciprocal assurances I 1 suggested that a peaceful discus discussion ilon follow this exchange of guarantees in which the government of the united states would be willingto take part with two essential objectives in mind first reduction of armaments second opening up avenues of international trade at the same time all governments other than the united states directly interested in territorial and political problems could u undertake n to discuss those problems in this peaceful atmosphere mo sphere in other words to use a colloquial expression what I 1 was suggesting was a peace conference with every blodys gun parked outside the conference room doors I 1 received no direct answer to this suggestion for world peace from either hitler or mussolini A few days before on leaving warm springs ga after a short vacation I 1 said 1 I have had bad a fine holiday with you all ill be back in the fall fail if we do not have a war this remark was again attacked by many newspapers and politicians as war mongering I 1 proposed that the community of nations throughout the world act the same as communities do wh when enan an epidemic of physical disease starts to spread namely join in a quarantine in order to protect the health of the community against the spread of the disease during 1938 there came the czechoslovakian czechoslovakia crisis on september 26 and september 27 1930 1933 I 1 sent messages to hitler and to the heads of the czechoslovakian Czechoslovak lan british and french governments seeking g a peaceful solution of that threat of war the particular crisis was averted but bat as I 1 stated at the time it was as is becoming increasingly crea singly clear that peace by tear fear had has no higher or more enduring quality than peace by the sword conditions grow worse three months later at lima peru the 21 american republics including our own agreed to tand stand s together to defend the independence of each one of us in m the west western ern hemisphere that declaration at lima was a further step toward continued peace and common defense in this hemisphere but it did not have any effect on rn utters matters in europe in 1939 international affairs in europe grew steadily worse that is why I 1 was so anxious in july 1939 for the congress to repeal the arms embargo provisions of the neutrality law for such a repeal would in effect say to the aggressor nations that if they did declare yar war they would find that their enemies would be able to obtain the needed war supplies here in america I 1 knew that the sale of arms by the united states could and would help the weaker nations resist attack from those nations which had built up these vast offensive striking corces the arms embargo congress was ready to adjourn in july 1939 without passing the repeal of the arms embargo we were convinced that the arms embargo was actually haying the effect of hastening the war in europe by the encouragement which it gave to the aggressor nations I 1 therefore called a conference at the white house of the republican and democratic leaders of the congress to urge upon them further the necessity of the legislation and to canvass the situation so as to learn whether such congressional action were possible at that conference I 1 pointed out how the arms embargo was encouraging the outbreak of a general war how it operated in favor of the aggressor nations of germany and italy and how thoroughly it weakened the position and prestige ti e of uie united states as a motivating factor f tor 0 r peace for we were hardly in a position to urge the aggressor nations to desist f from rom atta attack C k if we could not under any circumstances sell merchandise to the threatened democracies of europe GOP attitude it appeared clear at this conference however and was so stated by the congressional leaders that practically all of the republican members of the congress would vote against repeal end and that about 23 25 per cent of the democratic members would this opposition was based on the belief that there would be no war in europe before the following january when the congress would again assemble in regular session and that therefore cre there was noneen for immediate legislation of course it was useless to insist upon the legislation under those circumstances it should be borne in mind however that the responsibility tor for this action properly lies with those who refused to repeal the arms embargo in july of 1939 1 I made it clear to them at the conference that the opponents would have to take the sole responsibility for the results of their opposition and forthcoming events prove proved d that early legislative action in this matter would have been extremely helpful in f the pause |