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Department of State Bulletin, vol. I, p. 158
President Roosevelt to King
Victor Emmanuel of Italy [42]
AUGUST 23, 1939.
Again a crisis in world affairs makes clear
the responsibility of heads of nations for the fate of their own people and
indeed of humanity itself. It is because of traditional accord between Italy
and the United States and the ties of consanguinity between millions of our
citizens that I feel that I can address Your Majesty in behalf of the
maintenance of world peace.
[42] Arrangements for Ambassador
Phillips to deliver the message to the King in person at Turin, Italy, were
made by Premier Mussolini and the Italian Foreign Minister, Ciano. Ambassador
Phillips was authorized to give Premier Mussolini a copy of the communication.
475
DOCUMENTS
It is my belief and that of the American
people that Your Majesty and Your Majesty's Government can greatly influence
the averting of an outbreak of war. Any general war would cause to suffer all
nations whether belligerent or neutral, whether victors or vanquished, and
would clearly bring devastation to the peoples and perhaps to the governments
of some nations most directly concerned.
The friends of the Italian people and among
them the American people could only regard with grief the destruction of great
achievements which European nations and the Italian nation in particular have
attained during the past generation.
We in America having welded a homogeneous
nation out of many nationalities, often find it difficult to visualize the
animosities which so often have created crises among nations of Europe which
are smaller than ours in population and in territory, but we accept the fact
that these nations have an absolute right to maintain their national
independence if they so desire. If that be sound doctrine then it must apply to
the weaker nations as well as to the stronger.
Acceptance of this means peace, because fear
of aggression ends. The alternative, which means of necessity efforts by the
strong to dominate the weak, will lead not only to war, but to long future
years of oppression on the part of victors and to rebellion on the part of the
vanquished. So history teaches us.
On April fourteenth last I suggested in
essence an understanding that no armed forces should attack or invade the
territory of any other independent nation, and that this being assured,
discussions be undertaken to seek progressive relief from the burden of
armaments and to open avenues of international trade including sources of raw
materials necessary to the peaceful economic life of each nation.
I said that in these discussions the United
States would gladly take part. And such peaceful conversations would make it
wholly possible for governments other than the United States to enter into
peaceful discussions of political or territorial problems in which they were
directly concerned.
Were it possible for Your Majesty's
Government to formulate proposals for a pacific solution of the present crisis
along these lines you are assured of the earnest sympathy of the United States.
The Government of Italy and the United States
can today advance those ideals of Christianity which of late seem so often to
have been obscured.
The unheard voices of countless millions of
human beings ask that they shall not be vainly sacrificed again.
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