Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-25
Ban on News
Kept Churchill.
Out ofDanger
Reporters ToId Of Visit
4 Days Earlier
BY PAUL MALLON

emitted hy some officials be-
cause tho secret Of ChuIChlllS
Christmas visit was 50 loosely
kept. The fact Is IL Was darn
we'll kept Most neV>mcp IN
Washington knew AZ least four
days before tho announcement
was made that the British prime
minister was either here or on
his way.
The suppressed news had
reached 50 many persons by
Saturday morning that preSiden-
tial press secretary Steve Early
openly cautioned reporters a. his
press conference not TO cause its
publication BY Sunday the new
press censor Byron Price was
telPphoninG news agencies urg-
ing them again to avoid the
story.
l, is true some SpcculationS
about ChurChlll'S disappearance
came ont of London early in the
week. after Clement Attloc told
Commons ne WAS taking over IN
the absence of the prime MN
lStCr
Two indefinite yarns followed
Out Of Washing but the ac-
tlVltles Of Early and Price halted
any more definite notice which
would have endangered Churchill
on his voyage.
THE White House was in no
L way pushed by premature
publication, into making the an
nouncement Monday night. The
news was issued for The effect
II would have upon the rest OF
1.-The world particularly France,
Turkey and Portugal
In the modern subtle diplo-
matte manner il warned France
against diShonoring herself by
relinquiShing her fleet. and re-
minded neutral Turkey and
hackSliding Portugal that friend
llness toward the AXIS might
bear bitter postwar fruits.
This, in truth. was a primary
purpose Of the visit. Most
other matters could have been
settled by transatlantic tele-
phone.
4 TONE Of uneNclted casual
"a ness perVadcd the Roose-
velt-Churchill meeting CaS Sug-
CeSted by their faces in-lhe
official Photographic. No tense
Sub-offiCIalS were around TO
transmit guiding speculation 10
reporters. In fact all American
diplomats locked their doors and
hid under their desks for the
duration Of the visit.
In the b SenCe of such
authoritative guidance, Specula-
ton was allowed 10 run loose.
although no one could know or
pretend 10 guess in any worth
while degree what was being
done Natural subjects for first
disposition were JOINT naval
assignments in the Atlantic If
the French fleet was stolen. dis
positions of our planes TO the
Philippines, Singapore. Russia,
Llbya Britain; the joint overall
command (which cannot amount
10 much except a routine or
perhaps regional service lacking
slngleheaded powerl.
Only effective overall control
viii he eXertcd by the two men
themselves. no matter what kind
of supplemental cooperation is
conceived,
ONE spot where General Mac
~ Arthur preferred to fight
hove all others, is the one
chosen by the JapS for their
first m ass landing Lingayen
Bay. That is where Macarthur
has been holding the field ma
neuNers of his Filipino army for
the last few years. He and his
men knew every rock
His FllipinOS may not stack
up so high with artillery They
do not have the physical size or
knack of handling the big guns.
But give them a machine gun
and a bush IN which 10 hide II,
and they are a tormldable-toe.
CADDEST OF all world states
- men this Christmas Eve
mus, be the SImplcton japanese
Definite / nj nation has
reached here that der fuehrer
assured them. Just before they
declared war no would be IN
Moscow by Christmas The mo-
ment they committed themselves
10 conflict on his side he started
his retreat.
They should have talked 10
MuSSolln first The sans ANS
grease was handed him by der
fuchrer. 10 draw him INTO tho
conflict As France was beng
pushed over. MuSSolini received
the definite promise from Berlin
that England would fall sinful
taneouSly
Well docs Hitler know that
SllCn broken promises cannon Nc
hold against him by those he
fooled After they Jump. their
national existence has been COM
mitted 10 his cause
DO not mourn this annual
season Of peace because there
Is no peace
For many years there has
been no peace and no prospect
OF peace
Wv araln ihnrc nnn he kntAe