STALIN’S CALL

Grey River Argus, 8 October 1942, Page 5

STALIN’S CALL

FOR SECOND FRONT . A Cool Reception IN BRITAIN AND AMERICA [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] NEW YORK, Oct. 6. The “New York Herald-Tribune’s” Washington correspondent says: All available evidence indicates that Premier Stalin’s second front statement has been coolly received in responsible military quarters in Washington and London. Stalin’s appeal is be'fieved to have been the subject of a conference between Mr Roosevelt and the three Chief Military Advisers, Admiral Leahy, General Marshall and Admiral King. M. Litvinov conferred with Mr Welles, but told the Press that a second front was not discussed. , The British Ambassador to Washington (Lord Halifax) and the United States Under-Secretary of State (Mr Sumner Welles) discussed M. Stalin’s statement on the opening of a second front, at a Press conference in Washington on Tuesday. Mr' Welles said that he had read M. Stalin’s statement with the utmost ca? e. He would repeat that it was the intention of the United States Government to give 'the Russians every possible assistance. Such aid as was humanly possible was being giver, rrew. Lord Halifax said that President Roosevelt, Mr Churchill and M. Stalin understood each other very well. There was no misunderstanding among them. He was greatly encouraged by the statement that the Russians had the confidence to hold and beat the Germans.

Praising the defenders of Stalingrad, Lord Halifax said that Hitler and the Japanese had been able to show remarkable results on the map but the days of their easy gains were over.

Mr Harold Butler, head of. the British Information Service in Washington, said that the United Nations could not establish a second front at the present time without disastrous results. A second front could not be opened until transport and aircraft were available. Mr Butler added that Britain was now completely organised for total war. The people of Britain, he declared, had never ceased to be in the front line since June, 1940.

LONDON. Oct. 6.

Mr Churchill was asked in the House of Commons to-day if the Government had considered the answer given by M. Stalin to questions by an American journalist. Mr Churchill said: “I have, of course, read and considered the statement referred to. We are quite clear that no statement by the Government is called for at present, beyond those already given.” Some members pressed Mr Churchill to make a statement, because of the great attention given to M. Stalin’s statement. Mr Churchill said: “I have really nothing to add, certainly not on the spur of the moment, to the carefully worded statements already made.’! ' Mr Lyttelton said to-day that the SO critical days he predicted on July 18 were now over and none would wish to live them again. At the time he made the prediction the German offensive was in full swing, and the situation in Egypt was far more critical than now. He chose 80 days because from about this time it was impossible to launch a fresh campaign in Russia momentous enough to attain major strategical gains, though tactical gains might still be won. Though it was true the war was now entering another phase, it was necessary to redouble our work in all parts of the war machine.

U.S. Ambassador RETURNING FROM MOSCOW Oct. 6. The American Ambassador to Russia, Mr Standley, accompanied by the American Naval and Military Attaches, is shortly returning to America. He is doing so to “report r regarding ways and means of coordinating to * the utmost the Rus-sian-American war effort.” ROOSEVELT NOT TALKING WAITING TO SEE AMBASSADOR. (Rec. 11.30) WASHINGTON, Oct. 6. President Roosevelt has withheld comment on M. Stalin’s latest statement requesting that the allies “fulfil their obligations on time.” The President said Mr Standley (U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet), who is coming to Washington, would return to Russia immediately after reporting. MR WILLKIE'S ADVOCACY. DISCOUNTED BY MR ROOSEVELT. CHUNGKING, October 6. “We’re ready to deliver some knock out punches, if I can believe my own eyes,” said Mr Willkie in a statement, after his fourth conference with Chiang Kai Shek. He added: My personal opinion is that the time has come for an allout armed offensive everywhere. He pointed out- that his travels covered 13 kingdoms and governments, and he found four things common to all. Firstly, desire to win. Secondly, want an offensive now. Thirdly, want independence after the war. Fourthly, want a clearcut renunciation of any imperialistic designs by the western nations in Asia. In varying degrees, the people of all 13 countries doubt the dependability and readiness of the leading democracies to insist on the freedom of others after the war. This no doubt militates against enthusiastic war co-operation. (Rec. 11.0.) WASHINGTON. Oct. 6. President Roosevelt was questioned regarding dispatches that Mr Wendell Willkie had been urging a second front. Mr Roosevelt said tfiat he had not read the dispatches. He considered that they were not worth reading. because they were purely speculative. > •