Berlin, Feb. 28.
Berlin yesterday maintained caus tious reserve regarding the impending visit of Mr. Sumner Welles, the United States Under-Secretary of State, who wes expected here from Rome on March 1.
It was believed that Chancellor Adolf Hitler and the Foreign Minister, Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop, would confer with Mr. Welles. The Berlin programme of the American envoy, however, continued to be a secret yesterday.
The Germany in the street knew nothing about Mr. Welles or his visit. Undoubtedly at the wish of the Foreign Office, the German press avoided all speculation of the purpose and hopes of the Welles mission. Monday's newspapers did not even mention the fact that Mr. Welles had arrived in Italy and talked with Signor Mussolini and his Foreign Minister and that the envoy planned to go to Berlin.
Be Increased Precautions Against Disappointment Washington, Feb. 28.
Export-Import Bank officials were ready to speed action on the US$20,- 000,000 Chinese and Finnish loans as soon as Congress completes discussions on the legislation which is to enlarge the Bank's lending power and President Roosevelt signs it, informed quarters said today, The loan to China would probably be readily approved in view of the excellent Chinese record of repayment, they said.
China's application for a loan of US$5000,00 has been pending for some time, but officials were reported to feel that they would be unable to make so large a grant since it would almost exhaust the Bank's lending capacity.
Finland, the informed quarters added, has not yet made formal application for a loan, although the pending legislation was referred to as the "Finnish Loan Bill" Oficials, however, anticipated that official application by Finland would be submitted immediately after the enactment of the bill—United Press.
The reason for this conspicuous reserve was believed to be the desire to prevent the German public from building up peace hopes which might prove false. While well-informed Germans believed the ultimate purpose of Mr. Welles' mission was to find a basis for peace between Germany and the Western Powers, they were very sceptical of his chances of success. Sirfce the Allies rejected Herr Hitlers offers following the partition of Poland to cease hostilities, Der Fuehrer's public declarations have been in the nature of battle cries, rather than peace murmurs.
Rumours that Herr Hitler would submit a plan to Mr. Welles were given no credence in well-informed quarters here yesterday. 1t was expected that the German spokesman would outline to Mr. Welles the German position and her war aims, but not in the form of a peace offer. Thus far Herr Hitler has shown no signs of budging from his stand tho* Germany will make peace only on basis of recognition of the conquest of Poland, and the anschluss with Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.