EARLY SECRECY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20636, 16 August 1941, Page 5

EARLY SECRECY

ROOSEVELT’S WISH AXIS DISPARAGEMENT VICHY JOINS IN CHORUS (Reed. Aug. 16, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 15. Explaining why the statement by the Lord Privy Seal, Major C. R. Attlee, announcing the meeting between President Rooseveit and Mr. Winstop Churchill, surprised Britain, although the American public had been reading about it since Tuesday, the Daily Mail says that Mr. Roosevelt personally requested that no mention be made in British newspapers. Quotations from American papers cabled throughout the world were certainly ih the possession of the Germans, but Mr. Roosevelt insisted that no official statement should be ma'de until after the meeting, because he was anxious for Mr. Churchill’s safety. Mr. Roosevelt realised that if the Germans knew about Mr. Churchill’s trans-Atlantic journey they would do their utmost to attack him. The British Government acceded to Mr. Roosevelt’s urgent request, but extracts from uncensored American newspapers began to arrive in Britain on Tuesday. A decision had then to be made whether British papers should publish the quotations, but it was decided to maintain the censorship, firstly, because reprinting of'the reports would tend to confirm the meeting for the Germans and secondly because enemy agents would then be ■ given a good chance of picking up something valuable from persons knowihg something of Mr. Churchill’s journey. Brief Berlin Statement Axis mouthpieces took some time to decide how to deal with Major Attlee’s statement. The Berlin news agency finally Issued a very brief statement saying that Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill met on the high seas and agreed on an eight-point war statement, the highlight of which was the disarmament of the Axis Powers. -The Berlin radio, in an overseas transmission, said the declaration was "obviously nothing but a means of helping England and America to overcome the embarrassment caused by the present military situation.” The Vichy news agency stated the declaration was an “insufficient assurance of peace and justice. It simply refurbishes the Wilsonian doctrine, which experience has shown to be insufficient.” The Stefani Agency says: “Mr; Churchill and Mr Roosevelt seemingly account - for all eventualities except one, whose importance cannot have escaped -them, namely, the possibility of ah Axis victory.” The Tokio newspaper Kokumin Shimbun said: “The statement is the last struggle by the status-quo nations. The reckless attitude of the British and Americans will only push the situation into a dangerous stage. America's folly for playing into Britain's hands is laughable. The statement will serve as a turning point for an intensified Axis offensive.” The spokesman of the Japanese Information Bureau Baron lshii, said: “It is such a big statement that we must first study the points. Therefore there will be no comment to-day.”