RUSSIANS NOT TOLD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 10 March 1943, Page 5

RUSSIANS NOT TOLD

CARGOES FROM AMERICA COMPLAINT BY AMBASSADOR Moscow, Mar. 9. Hitherto the Russian Press had not acknowledged the material help which they were receiving from America not only through lease-lend but also through the Red Cross, complained the United States Ambassador, Admiral Standley, at a conference with British and American correspondents.

The head of the Russian Red Cross, he said, had acknowledged this help, but the acknowledgment had not been published in the Russian Press. “It is not fair to mislead the Americans into giving millions thinking that they are aiding the Russian people and yet the Russian people do not know it,” he declared.

Asked why he thought the Soviet authorities were not informing the Soviet peoples, Admiral Standley said: “They are seemingly trying to create an impression at home and abroad that they are fighting the war alone. They apparently desire to make out that they are fighting the war with their own resources rather than acknowledge help from anyone.” Pointing out that a new lease-lend Bill was now before Congress. Admiral Standley added: “The American Congress is generous and big-hearted, but if you give the impression that their help means nothing there might be a different story.”—P.A. AMERICAN COMMENT New York, Mar. 8. Commenting on Admiral Standley’s statement the “New Yoik Times” Washington correspondent says some Congressmen voiced the fear that disclosure will strengthen the possibility of the adoption of restrictive amendments to the Bill before the House extends the Lease-Lend Act for a year. Some observers have associated the disclosure with Stalin’s Order of the Day a fortnight ago stating that Stalin in effect told the Russians they were fighting the war alone and were thus entitled to dictate their own peace terms.—P.A. BOMBSHELL TO AMERICANS (Rec. 12.50 p.m.) New York, Mch. 9. Admiral Standley’s announcement came as a bombshell to Americans. Washington observers believe Admiral Standley would not have risked a Presidential rebuke by making such a frank statement of his own initiative and they are disposed to think he acted on an instruction. Mr Sumner Welles. Assistant Secretary of State, is expected to make official comment soon on Admiral Standley’s disclosure. The chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr Bloom, said the Russian Government may have some good reason for withholding the news of our assistance. To talk of withholding aid to Russia because of Admiral Standley’s disclosure would be inexcusable.—P.A.

LEND-LEASE FOR CHINA

DEMAND IN UNITED STATES WARNING OF DISASTER Washington, Mar. 8. Nearly every speaker in the debate in the House of Representatives to-day on the Bill providing a year’s extension of the Lend-Lease demanded more aid for China. Represent alive Eaton, senior Republican member in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that* disaster was inevitable unless China received something more substantial than vague promises. He suggested the placing of reciprocal aid on a protocol basis like Britain and Russia, giving China a specific written allocation of war materials instead of left-over goods as at present.—P.A.