ROOSEVELT The focus of the news tonight is that stately city on a pleasant winding river — Washington on the Potomac, I*m A broadcasting from the national capita^ tbillght, having spent the day in this metropolis of politics national and international. The chief event of the day was the WhlteHouse Press Conference, at which the President made Just about as strong a statement as he hasjever made — sharply and dynamically worded. The vigorous presidential words had to do with the subject thqt has had Washington seething — had the whole country at attention, in fact. Peace rumors, reports of possible negotiations between Great Britain and Germany, inside stuff about a message brought back from London by United States Ambassador Winantj | home c ^ ambassador to tell the president that^lf the United States didn’t immediately enter the war. Great Britain will have to make peace — thls^ bwlng a message from the London government. Along with that went the f-Qrther presumptive revelation that the British position in the war was desperate. They might not be able to hold out until Nineteen Forty-Two. h told about this rumor crop last.night and It's Important to have It in mind — as we hear from the ROOSEVELT - 2 President today. Has he issued a denial? It*s more than that. The president permitted himself to be quoted, the emphasis of quotation — as he said that he was not issuing a denial — he was making an accusation. The accusation w^ that the rumors Nazi propaganda — originating in Berlin and directed by the Nazi Propaganda Office^ in Berlin. He asserted that Nazi Propaganda Chiefs had given orders that as soon as Ambassador Winant arrived in the United States word should be spread that he was bringing a message that Britain was talking peace. Britain about all in — and ready to call off the war. The President said he had advance knowledge of this German machination and told how he had received memoranda concerning instructions given by the Nazi Propaganda Office. He wouldn’t say through what channels the United States Government had acquired these Nazi Propaganda instructions. To disclose that would be telling Berlin a secret. The President said that when the Ambassador arrived in Washington the rumors promptly began to circulate getting hotter and hotter. He waxed sarcastic by remarking what he called _ • ”an amazing coincidence.^ He said that by an amazing coincidence _^ ROOSEVELT - 3 THE Nazi-inspired reports appeared in some kinds of American peace newspapers. and Winant stepl«s -ftere. spread ~^ '(5erTna»-«gente''nnd'^tha--Dttee~^f Nazi Propaganda* Winant has had nothing to say about a peace offer. The President permitted himself to be quoted in these words:- ”Not even a tenth cousin of a peace offer, or anything like that, or \\ any discussion of peace. Absoluteljjnothin^like it." So he said. 1 1 using emphasis and re-emphasis. Furthermore Ambassador Winant has not come home to say that theBritish are in a desperate position. They are not in any such position, declared the President.J The situation is grave, but Britain is far from collapse or defeat. 1 Then why did the American Ambassador to London make his ;:i trip to Washingtony What did he have to convey to the White Housed The President said that Winant returned for two reasons. First, - to report on twenty^or fifty major topics relating to the British war effort. Secondly, to get information on twenty-five or fifty topics relating to the defense of the United States. So there we have b the number one event at today’s White House Press Conference, which Itself was number one in point of emphasis — an emphasis of denial i I 5 0 TRADE 1 Among the mai^ questions worrying this country, here *3 one that*3 frequently asked -- if the Nazis should le ep control of the continent of Europe, what would be the economic affect on the United States} The affect -- in point of trade, commerce, —• o especially with South America* It*s quite a common opinion that a Nazified E\irope would be able to outsell us, and confront us with with economic ruin* Today we have something decidedly to the contrary -- and from a surprising source, Bernard M* Baruch, that Barney Baruch idio was | Chief of World War Industries under Presid-nt Wilson* A is a Defense Consultant of the Roosevelt Administration and is reputed to exert large influence in government circles* Today the Wall street Journal quotes Barney Baruch as saying that if Nazi Germany should hold control of Europe, it would be the Nazl*s who*d be on the spot* Not the United States* Spesk ing of Germany Baruch asked: ”What will she do} Where can she sell her products and those of the coimtries she has conquered?” He went on to state that a Nazified Europe would be cut off from its former large market in the United States* And he added that if we adopt a proper economic policy we would be able to beat Nazi Germany competition In any neutral country — meaning particularly TRADE - 2 Latin America* The way to do It said this economic expert is for us to maintain a low price structure through^ the present war, develop quality and economy in mass production and build national defense* WAR There Is little war news tonight. That is in y active fighting. /The principal iten?^teS^^f the bombardment of A Gib raltar by Italian planes. What Rome called — a violent attack. This is the first time tliat the Rock has been bombed for a period o mouths, and the dispatch comes right afterjesterday’s news of a heavy German air raid on Alexandria. Gibraltar and Alexandria, the | bases respectively of the British fleets in the eastern and western I Mediterranean, VICHY ^he Vichy government of France Is -- astonished. Today an officicial spokesman of the regime of Marshal Petain made comment on yesterday’s declaration by Secretary of State Cordell Hull — hiw warning against the collaboration between France and Nazi Germany, a warning with all sorts of implications. How does Vichy like the Hull pronouncement? What’s the reaction? The spokesman declared that the Petain government is — astonished. tie repeated the contention that France in collaborating with the Nazis is interested only in maintaining the integrity of the French Empire. Hence the surprise. Today the question of France becomes still more acute — with a statement issued by a functionary called the Official French Military Anallst, who informed the press that fighting may break out in Syria at any time. He gave the reason in these words:- ’’Because it appears that Britain has decided to move in.” On the British side we continue to hear of Nazi German infiltration in Syria. And here’s a dispatch from Cairo. It states that the R.A.F. has bombed thd airport at Aleppo in Syria. Blasting war planes on the ground. Italian planes, says Cairo — indicating that the Fascists as well as the Nazis are in Syria. VICHY - 2 A late dispatch from Turkey, ^t states that Germany is moving forces into Syria at s uch a rate that in two weeks they’ll be able to menace the British in Palestine. I JAPAxN The Far Eastern crisis becomes more tense. Japan has I been making demands on the Dutch Colonial Government. Notes have passed back Qnd forth, with Tokyo sending a message of premtory tone. Now the government of the Dutcl East Indies has replied, and from Tokyo we get the reaction — "not acceptable." The Japanese declare that it contains — "many unsatisfactory points." That the Dutch Colonial authorities fail to understand the Tokyo viewpoint, and if they continue so to fail the Japanese will break off negotiations altogether; — so.says Tokyo. Our own capitol city of Washington is tonight the source of headline news concerning Japan. There have been rumors that Tokyo f Ambassador Nomura has proposed a non-aggression treaty between li Japan and the United States. A non-aggression treaty - reminding us of those multiple pacts between Germany, Italy Japan and the Soviets It would be Indeed a number one political sensation if such an . i: I agreement were being considered betv»een Tokyo and Washington. N what does today tell us? We get a series of denials. k The clincher was given by Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who not only issued a denial but stated out-right that a non-aggression pact between the United States and Japan would be contrary to the policy ^ of this nation. So that seems to settle it. PICKETS Ssiarglng from th# Wlilte House todav with a couDle of Washington correspondents, we walie d down the street to take a look at the pickets -- the peace delegation tha t day after day parades back and forth carrying banners denouncing war, i^erventlon# Peace mobilizers they call themselves* There was sin especial reason for taking a look* '2,^1" rir^.e> '‘D6 y<ta ioo^. exclaijaed Earl Godwin -- ”the pickets are A A being picketed^" That sounded astonishing but it was only the half of it. "They’re b^-ng picketed by a Congressman," he continued •And^ as if there were ndt enough surprises, • he added, "the congressman is peeling potatoes*" I thought lor a moment I was being kidded, but as ha walked down the street he side the White A A House — there was the miracle* The pickets picketed by a Congressman ^o was peeling potatoes* It was Representative Luthera^ of Alabama, and the sign he carrying read "Appeasers, Communists, Bundists can picket but c€n they workf" The work part of it explained the potato C peeling* The Congressman carried, hung around his neck a bucket _____ . CL^ ^ U.-Trvj2^ f ^ a bucket containing spud^^ And as hejp,ced back and forth he peeled PICKETS - 2 1 *? am I potatoes dropping the peels In the pall — not on the White Hous^ sidewalk. We stopped and talked to him and he said:- ”At leaat I working. I admit lt*8 not heavy work, but at least lt»s mo* e work than that crowd Is accomplishing" — the lawmaker who was A picketing the pickets. He was genial and laughing about it, saying that he was tired of seeing a minority express Itself in front of the residence of the president. "It*s about time that the majority A let their views be known." ^ So he was letting thos e views be known, marching etlong back and forth along one side of the pavement — udiile a line of half a dozen peace mobllizers paraded on the other side. Skm It seems to me that the pickets looked rather bewildered and baffled at the congressman who was picketing them. LABOR On the labor front a statement made by President Roosevelt at his press conference today indicated that there may be further federal action to enforce labor peace in defense industries — action against strikes, under the proclamation of unlimited national emergency. The President did not indicate just when such federal action may be taken. Soon perhaps. He told of favorable factors in the labor situation. revealing he has received several hundreds of letters from unions pledging their support the defense program. One from the Teamsters* Union — transmitted to him by Union President Tobin. In this the Teamsters pledge their allegiance to the leadership of the President. ADD LABOR Three strikes on the West Coast were today denounced by the office of Production Management. Associate O.P.M. Dlrectdr Sidney Hillman voiced the Indignation. The three strikes he named are;— the ship building walk-out which has stopped defense ship biiilding The tie-up of the North American Aviation plant at<^nglewood, California y being constructed. And, the work stoppage of lumbermen and loggers In the Fuget Sound area In Washington. The O.P.M. denouices these strikes and their leaders. a Here* s/lugubrlous Item In the labor news. At San Francisco today a shipping clerk killed himself, because he was so bitter about what he called "the dictatorship of labor unions". He left his estate, Five Hundred Dollars to Westbrook Pegler — the New York Miami columnist who has been waging a bitter campaign against labor racketeers ii I I; has contracts for one fifth of the defense aircraft ii H* END This trip to Washington leaves me disappointed in one respect. It concerns that softball game of tomorrow in which I and my N|ne Old Men are to play a team of statesmen — leading Q lights of Congress, Representative Hamilton Fish has indeed collected a formidable aggregation of legislating hitters and fielders. They not only make laws, they also hope to make homeruns -- says Ham Fish, The First Lady of the Land is to pitch the first ball, Vice-President Wallace will play short field. And as for Senators and Congressmen you^11 see them all the way from catching behind the plate to running their legs off in the the top of the Washington monument — w^hich is five hundred and fifty and a half feet high. That’s a stunt which has been accomplished only twice in history. It would be Just too bad if some Senator happened to get cracked on the coco, I suppose they’ll probably try to catch the ball in a net the bigger the better. That stunt at Washington monument will be followed by the ball game at Griffiths Stadium. 11 IC I deepest outfield. They’ll even try to catch a softball tossed from l| \$ Well, my Nine Old Men will be hp against a formidable line-up. We’ll need every hard-hitter and expert fielder we can get, A. a END _ 2 And there s one in particular that ^e certainly do need. VlTio, why Hugh «.anies. It would be great to have Hugh out there hitting the ball over a Senator’s head or throwing out the Vice-President. But, alas Hugh *j'ames can’t be with us. He has more important things to do, or less important — depending upon the way you look at it. Hugh is getting married tomorrow. So he will have nothing to do with Senators and Vice-Presidents — nothing to do with lawmakers. Or is a wife a lawmaker? Come to the law. Hoivever that may be, Hugh, can’t play baseball tomorrow because he’s getting married. Could hardly do both at the same time. He won’t be making hits on the diamond but, he’s already made a hit with a diamond. He won’t be catching flies, but he’s likely to be swatting them in the kitchen before the summer is over. Anyway -- best of luck Hugh. H ii think of it those household ±g± legislators certainly can lay down I si.