CHURCHILL AND ROOSEVELT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24959, 21 August 1946, Page 5

CHURCHILL AND ROOSEVELT

STORY OF WAR-TIME DIFFERENCES QUESTION OF BRITISH IMPERIALISM (NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) pm.) NEW YORK, Aug. 19. Differences between Mr Roosevelt and Mr • Churchill on the question of British Imperialism are quoted by Elliott Roosevelt in a book about his father. Elliott Roosevelt, reminiscing on the Atlantic Charter conference when he was the President’s aide, says that after parrying Mr Churchill’S efforts to obtain United States commitment to enter the war, the President brought up the question of post-war objectives and said: “There must be no artificial barriers. It is because of these barriers that the people of India, Africa, and all the colonial Near East and Far East are still backward.” 'Hie President also referred to the British Dominion trade agreements upon which Mr Churchill stated: “Mr President, England does not propose for a moment to lose its favoured position among the Dominions.” The President replied: “It is along there somewhere that there is likely to be' some disagreement between you and me.” The President privately afterwards referred to Mr Churchill as “a real old Tory,” adding: “His one big job is to see that Britain survives the war. His mind is perfect for war leadership, but will Mr Churchill lead England after the war? It will never work.”

During discussions on the following day Mr Churchill cried out: “Mr President, I believe you are trying to do away with the British Empire.” He then conceded: “Without America the Empire won’t stand.”