CLOSE STUDY OF SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 137, 6 March 1941, Page 7

CLOSE STUDY OF SITUATION

U.S. Colonel’s Mission VISITED FOURTEEN COUNTRIES Mediterranean Problems (British Official Wireless.) (Received March 5, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, March 4. With unique experience, having in a little more than two months studied the war situation on all the fronts and discussed current political, military and economic problems with statesmen, airmen and other experts in 15 countries, Colonel Donovan, roving emissary of the American Naval Secretary, Colonel Knox, is now in London preparing to return within the next few days to the United States, where he will make his report. He was received this afternoon by the King. -Colonel Donovan began his tour on December 26, and in the interval he’ has had ample opportunity of examining the political, economic and strategic position in the Mediterranean, which was one of the prime objects of his visit to Europe. Mediterranean problems in the past has attracted relatively -little attention from America, where wider questions affecting the two oceans which wash the shores of the United States had the main preoccupation.

Colonel Donovan’s inquiries in large part have been directed at investigation of the impact of Mediterranean problems on those of the Atlantic and indirectly on the Pacific. He began this inquiry with an exhaustive study of the defences of Gibraltar, where he also discussed with Vice-Admiral Sir James Somerville the more general aspects of the whole subject. Apart from his own experiences as a soldier in the last war, Colonel Donovan has visited battle fronts on other occasions, and he saw the Abyssinian war from the Italian side and the Spanish Civil War from the side of General Franco. During his present tour extensive visits have been made along North Africa, and he was at Bardia shortly after its fall and in Tobruk at the Australian headquarters when the plans for what proved to be a further victorious advance were being developed. Balkan Discussions. In Egypt he had long conversations with General Sir Archibald Wavell, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Longmore, and Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham. In Greece he met political leaders and visited the army commanders at the front, where, it is understood, the high morale and the frugal conditions under which all ranks of their hardy troops were operating made a deep impression on the visitor. Colonel Donovan, who has the reputation of a great mastery of details, was able during brief visits to Sofia and Belgrade, to appreciate some of the difficulties which will confront the Nazis in their Balkan adventure. In Turkey he had conversations not onl£ with the Turkish military and political chiefs, but also with some of the British staff officers who were there for the consultations last month. He had planned to pass through Syria on his return to Egypt, but on orders from Vichy he was turned back at the frontier and flew to Cairo by way of Palestine. While in Cairo on this occasion Colonel Donovan discussed the situation with Mr. Eden and General Sir John Dill. A flying visit was paid to Bagdad, Iraq, where, among others, Colonel Donovan met the Mufti. On his return via Malta to the Mediterranean be visited Madrid and had a long talk with the Spanisli Foreign Minister, Senor Suner, and also Lisbon, where he met the Premier of Portugal, Dr. Salazar.

During his 16,000 miles tour Colonel Donovan has collected an immense amount of material, upon which his report, which will no doubt reach President Roosevelt after it has been studied by Colonel Knox, will be based.