AMERICAN VIEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 123, 26 May 1944, Page 5

AMERICAN VIEWS

OBSCURITY TOWARDS FRANCE

NEW YORK, May 25. "Mr. Churchill's speech in the House of Commons could not avoid the weakness inherent in the tangled issues which accumulate as victory begins to dawn," says the "Herald Tribune" in an editorial. "Mr. Churchill, in z-e----peating the stock of never very logical excuses for refusing General de Gaulle full recognition, seemed simply to be following President Roosevelt's obscure policy, just as the State Department seems to be following the equally obscure policy of Downing Street towards the reactionary Spanish dictatorship. This is not the hour for needless criticism, but because victory may be near it becomes a duty to insist that not even in tense hours of military decision should there be any compromise with any wrong which can cloud the great issue or confound our true friends." The "New York Times" says: "Mr. Churchill is fully entitled to give a candid expression of the British views on the problems of war and peace, just as Marshal Stalin is entitled to express the Russian and President Roosevelt the American views. But if each great Power answers questions separately at this stage, at what stage are we to have joint definitions of policy? Mr, Churchill speaks on specific points which can be settled only by agreement. Does he speak also for Moscow and Washington? Surely •the time has come when the three Great Powers must speak with one voice." OFFICIAL'S COMMENT. Commenting on Mr. Churchill's speech, the Secretary of State, Mr. Stettinius, said at a Press conference in Washington today that the British Prime Minister's remarks on policy towards France were generally in line with the" thinking of the American Government, with which Mr. Churchill was thoroughly familiar. Referring to Mr. Churchill's view that Yugoslavia should be united under Marshal Tito, Mr. Stettinius said he did not know at present what the American position would be.

He refused to comment on Mr. Churchill's remarks on the RussoPolish situation. However, diplomatic circles in Washington, says the "New York Times," are of the opinion that the reported arrival in Moscow of the National Council delegation from Poland might be used by the Kremlin as a device for furthering efforts to reach an "accommodation . with the Polish people, through encouraging changes in the exile Government or otherwise.