BIG THREE TALKS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23259, 21 July 1945, Page 5

BIG THREE TALKS

REGULAR MEETINGS HELD Little News Released Spate Of Rumours By Telegraph— N.Z. Press Assn.-- Conyrieln (7.30 p.m.) LONDON. July 19. It is officially announced that the Big Three are meeting regularly with an agenda prepared at 11 am. daily by the three foreign secretaries. As anticipated, there has been a lack of "hard" news from Potsdam. There is however. a spate of rumours and speculation. The chief of these are concerned with Japanese peace feelers and surrender offers, Russia's entry into the war. and the relaxation of the unconditional surrender formula in Japan's case. It is felt that Russia's attitude may be considerably influenced by Generalissimo Stalin’s recent talks with the Chinese Prime Minister (Dr. T. V. Soong), but it is regarded as unlikely that. Britain or America will make a direct request at the Potsdam conference for Russia to declare war against Japan. Another rumour is that Marshal Broz-Tito has arrived at Potsdam, but this is also unconfirmed. The presence of Field-Marshal Sir Harold Alexander suggests, however, that the Balkans and the Mediterranean area will be discussed. Dr. Soong, incidentally, has arrived In Chungking where the People's Political Council is in session. It is noted with interest that the Russian Ambassador to China returned to Chungking with Dr. Soong, and it is assumed that they will continue to work on whatever foundations were laid in the Moscow discussions at which Manchuria is believed to have been one of the most, important and delicate problems considered. Slate Dinner President Truman to-night gave a Slate dinner at the temporary "White House" for Mr Churchill and Generalissimo Stalin, and five other representatives of each Government. Among the British representatives were the Leader of the Labour Party (Mr C. R. Attlee), and Sir Alexander Cadogan, Parliamentary Secretary of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) was unable to attend as he was indisposed. Mr Churchill wore the uniform of Warden of the Cinque Ports, an office going back to the days of the Norman Conquest when the ports of the south coast of England banded together to resist invasion. The American guests included Admiral W. D. Leahy, the President’s Chief of Staff. Mr Averill Harriman, the United States Ambassador to Moscow, Mr James Byrnes, the Secretary of State, and Mr Joseph Davis, Mr' Truman’s personal adviser.

Generalissimo Stalin was accompanied by his Foreign Commissar (M. Molotov), and the Russian Ambassador to Washington (M. Gromyko). General Omar N. Bradley, who commanded the American group of armies on the Western Front under General Eisenhower, has been called to Potsdam to confer with the President on his new position as Chief of the United States Veterans’ Administration. A “Roaring Farce” “The Potsdam Conference is the most crucial conference of modern times, yet in some respects it has degenerated into a roaring farce,” said the "Daily Mail” in a leading article. “This is bound to happen if the Press of the world is fed with nothing but trivialities and not permitted to transmit anything of the real news tor which the nations are waiting here. So closely are the principals guarded, it takes 'two hours for a message to reach them from the people just oui«side the compound. So well are correspondents dragooned that they are called into solemn conference to be told of the arrival of Mickey Rooney. It is difficult to know whether to describe such an atmosphere as a cloak and dagger or a custard pie. “If the statesmen wanted a secret conference, they should have so ordained from the beginning, but most of the preliminaries were conducted m the full light of publicity. It was only when the real work began that the flow of information was suddenly damned at the source. A secret conclave would not be tolerated by public opinion. Few would go to the opposite extreme and advocate verbatim reports of every session. There is a medium course which we suggest should be adopted? Churchill And Stalin Confer (Rec 1 a.m.) LONDON. July 20. Mr Churchill vesterday had a conference with Generalissimo Stalin. They were alone except for interpreters. The talks lasted three hours.