148

 

Department of State Bulletin, vol. II, p. 373

 

Statement by President Roosevelt, April 13, 1940

 

Force and military aggression are once more on the march against small nations, in this instance through the invasion of Denmark and Norway. These two nations have won and maintained during a pe­riod of many generations the respect and regard not only of the Ameri­can people, but of all peoples, because of their observance of the highest standards of national and international conduct.

The Government of the United States has on the occasion of recent invasions strongly expressed its disapprobation of such unlawful ex­ercise of force. It here reiterates, with undiminished emphasis, its point of view as expressed on those occasions. If civilization is to survive, the rights of the smaller nations to independence, to their territorial integrity, and to the unimpeded opportunity for self‑gov­ernment must be respected by their more powerful neighbors.