Evening star., 1942-09-28

Ing MT. Wlllkle
services as a per- David Lawrence.
sonal representative, wrote out spe-
Cial letters of introduction and asked
that Mr.. Willkie 60 to China as we'll
as to Russia and the Near Eastern
countries.
The initiative was wholly with
Mr.. Willkie, but the mission en-
trusted to him was the President S
idea, and it turns out that neither
probably realized that the visit to
Moscow would come at a psyche
logical moment when the relations
between the two countries needed
the stimulus they are getting.
Due to censorship and the in
evitable secrecy that surrounds di-
plomacy's moves, it is not known
whether President Roosevelt has or
has not urged that second front
be opened by the United Nations
in Europe this year. But the public
does know that the British have
baked at the idea as being pre-
mature and as likely to involve risks
that ought not be taken.
Inference Strengthened.
President Roosevelt's statement
when Foreign Commissar Molotov
was Mere was one Of guarded phrases
to the effect that consideration was
being given to the task of creating
a second front. The Russians in
terpreted this too optimistically and
1t is being said that the British
government called attention to the
language as likely to raise false
hopes.
But 1t may we'll be that the
President wanted the statement to
create exactly the impression that
1t did because he may feel that 1912
Is the time to do something sub
stantial toward opening a second
front. This inference is strength
ened somewhat because of the COM
ment by Mr.. Willkie that the mill
tary leaders might need "a little
prodding" on the subject of the
second front. 1t is being suggested
he would not make such a statement
II he didn't think 1t probably re-
fiected the Washington view, too.
For some time there has been an
impression that our own military
men were a bit impatient with the
views held in London about post
poning a second front till next
spring or summer.
II 1T turns out that Mr.. Willkie
was expressing his own view about
the need for prodding the military
leaders, it may be that he was look
ing at the problem not so much from
the mathematical or military side
but from the standpoint of morale
at a critical time. Maybe, too, he
thought the sacrifice in men that
might have to be made was inevi-
table and that it might mean lesser
sacrifice now than to wait till next
spring when the Germans, having
stabilized their eastern front, were
able to divert many divisions and
many planes to ward off a second
front.
Independent Expression.
There is another explanation.
Wendell Willkie is unique per-
sonslity with fair for independent
expression and if he came to the
conclusion that the United Nations
leaders were too conservative and
needed prodding he wouldn't hesi-
tate to say so even If by so doing
he were criticizing our own military
strategists.
Before Mr., Willkie left the United
States, he telephoned this writer
concerning dispatch which had
given the impression that the Willkie
trip fitted in with the desire of the
former presidential candidate to be
absent from the United States dur
Ing the Dewey Bennett election fight
In New York State and limiting that
maybe the President was also will
ing to have Willkie busy in other
parts of the world rather than par
ticipate in the congressional CAM
paign.
Mr.. Willkie was emphatic in point
Ing out that he alone had the idea
for the trip and that only when he
broached 1t to the President did the
latter suggest he might 20 as a
personal representative of the Ex-
ecutive and perform certain mis-
sions. Mr.. Willkie told this writer
also that he would be back by
October Is and would definitely take
part in the political campaign, so
any impression to the contrary con-
corning the political significance of
4 delayed return is hereby gladly
erased by this correspondent.
Mr.. Willkie unquestionably has
helped the Russian-American situa-
tion and he may find himself arriv-
ing in both India and China at
moments when he can strengthen
the bonds there and help clear up for
the public here the underlying de-
sires OF our allied peoples.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)