Paris, Feb. 22.
MERICA'S geographical isolation has ended and the United States is rearming to defend her Democratic institutions against nations insisting on the use of force as a instrument of policy, Mr. William C. Bullitt, United States Ambassador to France, told the Washington's Birthday banquet of the American Club here tonight in the presence of the French Premier, M. Edouard Daladier, and other French Cabinet members.
The protection afforded the United States by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in the days of George Washington, who laid down the isolationalist policy, no longer exists, Mr. Bullitt said. "At this moment," he continued, "the minds of Americans are dealing slowly and carefully with important problems. There is a growing appreciation of the fact that if there should be war in Europe, we might be drawn into it.
This is causing much thought at home, The discussion is thoroughly realistic.
"There is only a negligible number of fanatics arguing in terms of isms.' Americans as a people sustain religion, not religious wars. The problem of United States defence today and tomorrow is the main subject of discussion in the United States."
Outlining the benefits of freedom for which he said the United States was largely indebted to President Washington, Mr. Bullitt said: "We feel these cre worth defending and we intend to defend them."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.