President Roosevelt’s Confidence

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 208, 2 September 1943, Page 5

President Roosevelt’s Confidence

(By Telegraph—Pr Me Assn.—Copyright.) Received Wednesday, 10.28 p.m. LONDON, Aept. 1. •'Things are going along pretty well regarding the British-American-Sunian conference,’' said President Roosevelt at a press conference at Washington, nut he was urable to say when it might be held and whether Mr. Stalin would attend. The long-awaited conference between Britain, Amencan.-and Russia seems to be talcing clearer shape, says the Times’ diplomatic correspondent. All the Governments agree that no time should be lost, and the conference should be really formative and constructive with powers to examine every major European problem which it can see, present or anticipated. Mr. Eden to-day saw Mr. Maisky and Mr. Winant. The preparatory work may continue for some uays. It appears to have been agreed that the meeting should be on a Foreign Secretary level, Mr. Eden to represent Britain, Mr. Molotov possibly to represent the Soviet, and Mr. Harry Hopkins or Mr. Winant to represent the Onited States. Interest in British-American-Russlan relationships has now veered to the date when the three-Power talks will be held. Whatever official assurances that the relations basically re good behind the screen of diplomatic activity, the fact remains that speculations of the public and among those whom some rather sourly call “congenial critics’’ are not improving matters. It is therefore hoped that something concrete will come from Mr. Eden’s talks with Mr. Maisky and Mr. Winant that will lead the way to clearing the air and establishing a better understanding—publicly as well as privately. It is not only the question of opening a second front that requires discussing, but also the political policy. This question of a second front has been reopened by Russian newspaper comment. For instance, Pravda declared that a shattering blow against Germany can scarcely be imagined without the use of the tremendous strategic advantage of the British Isles as the main base for an invasion, and went on to point out that England had been saved from the threat of invasion by the Soviet Union, and that after the Russian-German war started England got a chance to mobilise for war economy. Such comment drew from the Times the remark that the revival of the second front campaign is a psychological blunder, “for strategy cannot be directed by popular debate. ’ ’ There has also been comment that if a second front resulted in Germany withdrawing 60 divisions from the East then the Germans must have made inaccurate calculations, for already they have between 20 and 40 divisions in the West, and that it would bs bold to assume that they miscalculated to such an extent. On the political side there are divergent views on the position of the Pole* from whose Government in London the Russians withdrew recognition last year without consulting Britain and America, while recently Britain and America recognised the French Committee leaving the Russians to act Independently in the matter where, says the Times, “Joint simultaneous action

could have well been arranged." There Is also the question as to what part the three Powers are going to take In organising the security of poetwar Europe. The coming six weeks are regarded as most important, for as the Observer points out, “the end ot these six weeks will either see all the Allies together In sight of victory or a serious crisis In the conlidence between Russia and the Western Allies. Which it will be depends at this Juncture almost entirely on our ability to wage a successful war with our political as well as our military arms.”