The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes : The
events which caused the break in the Easter Recess were already overshadowed, when the House met again on Tuesday, by Mr. Roosevelt's message. This was almost the sole topic of conversation and, because of the holidays, it took some time before the general opinion of the House became clear. The first reaction of unqualified approval has given way to a certain apprehension that Herr Hitler may use the President's gesture as a lever, and that the momentum which was gathering behind the Peace Front may be slackened. The advantage of any American co-operation in European affairs is, of course, accepted. But there was much shaking of heads over the possibility of the colonial issue being raised immediately as a pre-condition of Germany's presence at the Conference Table; while some people even went so far as to predict as a result the inevitable outbreak of war in the very near future. This latter argument was supported by the recent movements of the German fleet. It is said -hat the Government would not be disturbed by the Axis fleets in the Mediterranean, but would view with alarm a large hostile force scattered along our trade routes. If, as some people foretell, April 28th is the next critical day, Germany's action in dispersing her fleet is the natural result of her having learnt her lesson from the last War, and would be the obvious move for her to make immediately prior to an outbreak of hostilities.
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