EISENHOWER IN LONDON

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24591, 13 June 1945, Page 5

EISENHOWER IN LONDON

COMMENT ON POLICY FOR GERMANY TRANSFER OF ARMS TO PAR EAST (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. June 11. We want to get as much killing stun across to the Pacific as quickly as possible to finish off the Japanese,” said General Eisenhower at a press conference at the Dorchester Hotel. He added; “I cannot hazard a guess just how long the Japanese war will last.” , General Eisenhower, referring to the American non-fraternisation policy in Germany, said that it no longer applied to very young children. He declared that neither the Americans nor the Tommies would ever cease being friendly to children, whatever their nationality. “There are many Germans who want to be friendly now, but they should have wanted to do so before this,” he said. “My experience has been that the Germans are arrogant in victory and very polite in defeat.” General Eisenhower said that the Germans hoped to return to what they called normality, which means that the nation would be able to compete with other highly civilised, industrialised nations. “Germany will never get there if I have my way,” he declared. “Russia, Britain, and America intend to make it impossible for Germany ever again to wage war. I thought when I saw the devastated areas of London, particularly round St. Paul’s, that you could not see people take worse, but no one has ever seen anything in this European war to compare with the German towns.

“ ‘ls Hitler dead?’ is a question which is being asked throughout Europe,” he added. “I have no knowledge whether he is or not. If he is not, he is certainly suffering, for no man who exercised the power he had could stand being hunted all his life.” British Hospitality Paying a tribute to the manner in which the British people had been so good-humoured and hospitable to Americans, General Eisenhower declared that they had done more in the way of making for better understanding between the British and American peoples than anything else. He added that the Russians were very friendly, and he was convinced that they wanted peace and a chance to develop themselves. “Our contacts with the Russians to-day are heart-warming,” he said. General Eisenhower concluded by announcing that he was going to America on Saturday. Air Chief Marshal Tedder would be in charge at Supreme Headquarters in his absence. Arriving in London this morning, General Eisenhower drove through streets lined with cheering crowds which gave him a foretaste of the reception he will receive when the Lord Mayor to-morrow presents him with the Freedom of the City. The only living American who has received the Freedom of the City of London is General Pershing, and it has been granted to only three other Americans. President Grant, President Roosevelt, and the philanthropist, George Peabody.