STRATEGY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 256, 28 October 1944, Page 1 (Supplement)

STRATEGY

GREAT DECISIONS IDE H MOSCOW

CHURCHILL PLEASED

Most Urgent Problem Is Poland's Future

British Official Wireless Rec. 4.30 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 27. A great many serious military questions were discussed during the Moscow Conference, said the Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, in continuing his statement on the conference in the House of Commons.

He stated that Major-General Sir Hastings Ismay, Military Secretary to the Cabinet, and other officers were in Moscow for the conference, and he and Mr. Eden also had the advice of the American Ambassador, Mr. Averill Harriman, and technical representatives.

"All these discussions were part of the process of carrying out the great decisions taken at Teheran nearly a year ago, which, without exaggeration, may be said to have altered the face of the world war, said Mr. Churchill. "Naturally I cannot say anything about these military discussions, except that I found them very good.

"The most urgent question was Poland. Here, again, I speak words of hope. To abandon hope in this matter would be, indeed, to surrender to despair. There are two crucial issues. The first is the question of the eastern frontier of Poland, and the Curzon Line, as it is called, and the new territories to be added to Poland in the north and west. The second is the relation of the Polish Government with the Lublin National Liberation Committee.

"On these two points we had a series of conferences with both parties. We held them together and separately, and were in constant discussions with the representatives of the Soviet Government.

Strong Poland the Aim "Although I do not underrate the difficulties which remain, it is a comfort to feel that Britain and Russia, and, I do not doubt, the United States, are firmly agreed on the reconstruction of a strong, independent, sovereign Poland, loyal to the Allies and friendly with her great neighbour and liberator, Russia. "Speaking more particularly for the British Government, it is our persevering and constant aim" that the Polish people, after their suffering and vicissitudes, shall find in Europe an abiding home and a resting place which, though it may not entirely coincide or correspond with the prewar frontier of Poland, will nevertheless be adequate for the needs of the Polish nation and not inferior in quality to that they previously possessed. It would be a great pity if time were wasted in indecisive or protracted negotiations. I hope no time will be lost in continuing these discussions and pressing them to an effective conclusion."

Rule on France Mr. Churchill said the French Assembly had been enlarged and strengthened by the admission of many fresh representatives, including those of the resistance organisations and members of the old parliamentary groups. The Assembly was now as representative a body as could be got together in the difficult circumstances of to-day in France. It would hold its first Assembly in Paris in a few days' time.

As the tide of battle had moved forward General Eisenhower had found that he could safely hand over his special powers to the French authorities, except immediately behind the battle zone, said Mr. Churchill. Those authorities had shown themselves fully capable of taking full responsibility.

Mr. Churchill outlined the steps which led to the establishment of the French Government. He said he had been satisfied for some weeks past that the present Government under General De Gaulle commanded the full assent of the vast majority of the French people, and was the only Government which could discharge the very heavy burden cast upon it until parliamentary processes could be reconstructed. France could by no means be excluded from the discussions of the principal Allies in dealing with the problems of the Rhine and Germany.

Hopes for Greek Unity The liberation of Athens and a large part of Greece had been the cause of universal rejoicing. There had been hardly any loss of life and practically no damage to the immortal Greek capital, so dear to the hearts of so many nations throughout the world. Soon supplies of food for the sorely tried Greek population would be in process of active distribution, if indeed that had not been begun already. They were doing their best in every way to bring Greece back to normal, but they did not seek to become the arbiter in Greek affairs.

Mr. Churchill appealed to all parties and groups in Greece to set national unity above all other causes in cleansing the country of the remaining German forces and in destroying or capturing the last of the miscreants who had treated them with indescribable cruelty, and finally to join hands to rebuild their strength and reduce the suffering of their famous and cherished land.