Question

What was the epidemic of "world lawlessness" that roosevelt referred in this speech

Answer 1

His speech was about violating treaties on both the nazis and the french/english side

Answer 2

FDR was talking about the Axis countries violating the treaties they had signed, particularly the Versailles Treaty. But he was also talking about the Japanese invasion of China in 1937 and the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935. Therefore he “Quarantined”those countries and refused to sell them arms or materials for war making.