Sumner Welles, today scathingly condemned "a handful of men" who he said were threatening world peace. Addressing the "Founder's Day" e: ercises at the University of Virginia, Mr. Welles urged the United States to sell all necessary war materials and other supplies to the European Democracies to prevent the conquest at peace-loving nations. Mr. Welles vigorously criticized the "doctrines of persecution and tyranny" being practiced by Germany, Italy and Japan and said the United States should make every possible effort short of war—to assist those Powers dedicated to the preservation of peace and Democracy.
He emphasized that the Administration's major objective is to keep the United States at peace, but he repeated President Roosevelts' warning that "acts of aggression and conquest against a peaceful people affect us even in our geographic isolation" because United States interests must suffer whenever law and order throughout the world was shattered. He also criticized the recent statement by Signor Benito Mussolini indicating that war was necessary every now and then.
The idea of holding a general peace conference was ruled out by Mr. Welles unless all participants at such a conference showed a genuine desire ior peace and would respect all pledges made.
The present neutrality law came in for criticism, Mr. Welles suggesting that the act be so revised as to guarantee eventual aid for any nation which becomes the victim of aggression. He called attention to the fact that the present neutrality law was no more effective than the embargo posed by President Jefferson during his term of office between 1800 and 1806 and that it had failed to avert a conflict with Great Britain.
Although he did not mention Italy ans Germany by name, Mr. Welles clearly referred to them when he said that "leaders of certain peoples" have rejected approved peaceful methods to solve international problems and wave sought through threats to plunge millions of persons into a new world wur—United Press.
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