Evening star., 1941-12-23

days the discussion in the press
from abroad has turned on the i'm
portance OF unity of command
among the allies. The need for a
supreme war council has been ap-
parent to all sides.
Details of how the unification OF
command on land, sea and in the
air will be accomplished will remain
military secrets. But the most i'm
portant question that has to be
resolved and on which announce
ment can In due time be made re-
lates to the manner in which Ameri-
can forces will take orders from a
British command and the British
likewise will submit to an American
command.
1t would seem logical that in the
Pacific theater of war, the United
States would appoint the military
generalissimo and perhaps the
naval chieftain. The man most
probable for military command is
Gen. Douglas Macarthur. His ele-
vation to the rank of full general
BY the President with the consent
of the Senate the other day has
been regarded as forerunner OF a
unified command in which Gen.
Macarthur would supervise the
whole military operation OF the
Allies in the Far East.
King May Rule in Pacific.
It may be also that Admiral
King will be found occupying an
analogous position in the naval
side in the Pacific. But IN the
Atlantic, where the British have
a much more intimate knowledge
Of the waters adjacent to Africa
and Europe, the delegation OF full
authority to q British naval of1cer
Of high rank would seem to be
plausible.
In the last war, Supreme War
Council sat in Paris and made de-
cisions for all fronts. The United
States had representation on 1t but
the generalissimo in the field was
Marshal Foch. who had command
of ali Allied armies. Something OF
the same system will doubtless be
applied now.
The war Is reaching a broad cli-
max IN that more fronts are being
opened and more areas OF sea war
fare are being subjected to patrol.
A system Of conveying supplies to
Hawaii and the Philippines by
means OF air and sea power is un-
auestionably going to be arranged
If already 1t IS not in effect. The
escort system used in the Atlantic,
in which the British and American
naval and air forces have joined,
Is big success.
But the major Job is to get sup
plies to the eastern and western sec
tions Of Africa as well as the Far
East. Hitler is confidently expected
to strike through Spain and Portu-
gal at Gibraltar and the west coast
Of Africa with the idea Of closing OF
the British from Western Mediterra-
mean operations and then moving
toward the Eastern Mediterranean
by q drive through Turkey.
Moscow Loses Importance.
No matter how gratifying the news
Of Russian advances has been to
Washington these last few days
and 1t has been very encouraging
the disposition is to look for new
Hitler move In North Africa. 1t is
quite possible that the Japanese de-
eision to enter the war, on which
Hitler could not be sure till it hap
pened, was the reason for a reversal
Of strategy on the Russian front.
The Moscow objective became less
important the moment the Japanese
decided to strike for Singapore,
which meant a weakening OF the
British naval and military forces in
the Mediterranean. The Japanese
attack on Hawaii unquestionably
spurred Hitler to change his tactics.
Since he alone knows the situation
on all fronts. military and political,
it was natural for him to take COM
plete command. He has become the
generalissimo OF the entire Axis
strategy and operation. The Russian
advance may prove rout for Hitler
in the end, but the Nazi plan Is
doubtless to hold the Russians for
the winter and then in the spring,
If the battle of the Mediterranean
has turned favorably, to resume the
drive to the Caucasus.
High-ranking officials Of Britain
are also arranging for closer eco
nomic cooperation with America
Since the United States is now a
full-nedged belligerent and since
America is the center Of supply-the
arsenal Of democracy-itm may be that
the whole war will be run from
Washington and that the supreme
war council will sit here.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)