Tunnel in Rock to Shelter Civil Population; Caves To Be Utilized Washington, Apr. 16.
Speaking to hurriedly summoned newsmen, President Roosevelt read end commented on the text of his message to Chancellor Hitler und T Duce.
The President stated that he had no consultation whatever with any nation before sending his message but had merely informed by cable the main South American countries late last night, He added that he contemplated making such a move some time ago but was prevented from doing so by the Czechoslovak and Albanien affairs which placed him before a fait accompli.
"The United States cannot miss a single opportunity to try and prevent war," he exclaimed. He added that, upon his decision to address messages to Chancellor Hitler and Signor Mussolini, he summoned Mr. Cordell Hull, Secretary of State. The message Was drafted personally by Mr. Hull and himself, he specified. "Hull end myself have spent a better night We slept with a relieved conscience, Save Humanity from War In addressing his message, the President stated, he hoped to save humanity from a new and terrible war. While reading the message to the press, the President placed a special emphasis upon the words neutral nations will suffer" as well as victorious and vanquished nations.
He insisted on the fact that all peoples, including those submitted to totalitarian regimes, were dreading war. Commenting on the part of his message which dealt with international conferences, the President insisted that the United States would participate in a disarmament and in ar: economic conference but not in a political conference, since he said he wished to let the nations concerned discuss themselves all border questions.
The latter part of the President's declaration was interpreted as intending to allay isolationists' fears of United States' assuming political commitments in Europe.—Havas
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.