Reaffirmation of Atlantic Charter

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 41, 17 February 1945, Page 8

Reaffirmation of Atlantic Charter

YALDA DECISIONS WIDELY APPLAUDED (Special Correspondent.) LONDON, Feb. 14. Second thoughts on the Crimea Conference have confirmed the good impression made here by the “Big Three’s” communique, and although the London Poles have raised a dissentient voice there is apparently little support forthcoming for their views. ‘‘lt can he said of this document, and it is a rare tribute, that the more it is studied the better it looks,” says the Manchester Guardian in a leader. Stating that, apart from military plans, the document falls naturally into three parts, first, the declaration on liberated Europe, secondly, the treatment of Germany, and, thirdly, the organisation of the new League of Nations, it expresses the opinion that the first is a triumph of President Roosevelt, the second of Marshal Stalin, and the third of Mr. Churchill. It regards the Polish settlement as

‘‘by no means a had one” and adds that the guarantee of free elections should reassure those who rightly distrust the present Provisional Government. It thinks ‘ ‘much of the section on Germany is sound,” hut says the German problem will not he solved only by occupation, reparation, punishment and control. There must be also a common plan for her redemption and there is little sign of that. The Guardian regards as important that as soon as possible the ‘‘Big Three” alliance should he submerged in the new international organisation since no alliance of victorious Powers, however firm, can replace a league of all the Democratic, peace-loving nations. Mr. Vernon Bartlett, M.P., in the News-Chronicle declares that a high tribute to the conference comes from the Nazis. According to German Press and radio reports, the communique is “fiendish evidence of destructive madness on the part of the war criminals, who are planning the mass murder of German men, women and children.” Mr. Bartlett adds that the Soviet and American Press comments are so enthusiastic and so similar that one is left with the impression that these countries have never before achieved so close an understanding. The opinion in London, he adds, is that the Russian praise is all the more remarkable in view of the “considerable concessions made by Marshal Stalin.” POLISH SETTLEMENT Saying that the only discordant Allied comments come from some Frenchmen and some Poles, he adds that the Arcisfcewski Cabinet met to face unpleasant facts. It may soon lose British and American recognition. But despite the admitted grievances it remains clear that the Crimea decisions were the best that could be reached in the circumstances. Mr. Bartlett recalls that M. Mikolajezyk recently suggested a compromise very similar to that approved at Yalta. There is thus the hope that prominent Poles from London as well as others in Poland or elsewhere will shortly be back in Warsaw.

The Daily Telegraph in a leader expresses the opinion that every problem has clearly been approached in an objective and reasonable spirit. The measure of the enemy’s disappointment at the absence of rifts is the mounting hysteria of his comments. The Daily Telegraph thinks it is a very remarkable achievement to have agreed on a • treatment of Germany which is instinct with just severity but devoid of unconstructive petulance. There is nothing in the terms now revealed likely to provoke that discord among the Allies which last time caused the United States to wash her hands of Europe and the other victors to wash 60 much dirty linen in public that Germany was able to hatch mischief again. “While the Poles’ response in London has been sombre, yet in no point does the Yalta agreement reflect more or a better spirit of reciprocal understanding,” the paper says. “Though French representatives were not present, it is doubtful whether they could have secured fuller consideration of France’s interests and desires if. they had been.’’ The Daily Herald says one of the most welcome features of “the great communique” has been its reaffirmation of the Atlantic Charter, and it declares that the conference promises rapid and decisive advances towards a world security organisation which will achieve in the military sense freedom from fear. ECONOMIC UNITY Herald regards President Roosevelt’s message to Congress, in which he said it was time America took a lead in “establishing the principles of economic cooperation as a foundation for expanded world trade” as a happy accompaniment” to the Crimea Declaration. The paper adds: It is a lead which should be accepted by politicians and peoples in all lands, for economic unity constitutes a second front in the campaign for a durable peace. Both in Westminster and authoritative London quarters satisfaction has been expressed at the communique. The only criticism so far voiced in London concerns certain aspects of the economic peace terms, which the Financial News reports have given rise to misgivings among members of Parliament. It is pointed out that it would be impossible to expect Germany to make large deliveries in kind unless she were allowed to maintain and reconstruct her industries. And in the possession of a large industrial capacity Germany would be in a position to embark on rearmament the moment political consideration made this possible.