Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-11
News Behind
The News
By Paul
MaIlOn.
Roosevelt Pulls
Props From Under
Willkie, Stain

! WiIIkie, SfdiIn
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-It
w looks like Mr.. Roosevelt has
pulled the official props out
from Mr.. Willkie, and made HIM
self plain 10 Mr.. Stain. subtly,
of course. but nevertheless plain.
After Messrs. Stain and Will
kie said what they damn well
please" about a second front and
the paucity of our materiel. the
state department called In
Maxim Litvinoff. the Russian
ambassador, and formally signed
an extension of the lend-lease
agreement for one year more.
an agreement. which. incident
ally. specifies the quantity OF
materiel we we are TO send 10
the Russians each month. and
also. incidentally. an agree
ment which we have not been
able to fulfill.
Then Mr.. Roosevelt suddenly
called back from Moscow the
am bassad there, Admiral
STANDBY. and also, strangely
enough. the military and naval
attaches.
NOW. Mr.. Roosevelt has just
~ had a personal representa-
tive in Moscow. Mr.. Willkie. who
is on his way back. with all the
dope from Stain, by q round
!. about route.
The officials here say the re-
y turn of Admiral Standby and
attaches is just routine item.
as is the renewal Of the Russian
agreement
For matters that are routine.
these two seem exceptionally
provocative. Offhand. you would
think that the President is cast
ing additional deflation upon
Mr.. Willkie by asking Admiral
STANDBY TO return. and also by
answering Mr.. Stains COM
plant on materiel by solidifying
his untitled promise with a new
official agreement.
Beyond that, the curious
situation gets deep and devious.
II seems 10 me Mr.. Wlllkie and
Mr.. Stain are really aiming the
shafts they directed at Us, upon
Mr. Churchill
All Mr.. Wilfkie said, new and
important. was that the Asiatics
and the Near. Fasteners did not
really believe we meant what we
said. when we promised free
doms for all people after the
war. What that really means Is
that the British Empire must
make clear 10 those people that
II does not intend to exert In the
postwar world the empirical
control IL attempted TO WELD. up
10 now, in those areas.
do not believe any one here
has empirical designs on the
postwar world. Indeed. our enc
mics have moi even accused us
OF that.
FURTHERMORE. the old de-
Il sign of the British Empire
has been effectively broken up
by the war. The clash Of conflict
and threat OF disaster have re-
suited In an appreciation in
London. and elsewhere. that
. remote colonies are truly in
dependent in every natural re-
spect. They had TO defend
themselves, rather than rely
on the mother country.
Nevertheless, the Asiatics and
the Near Fasteners on our side
still have a suspicion. according
10 Willkie. that when the emer-
gency is over. London will at
tempt 10 exert its former will.
As i see IL. no resentment
should be felt against him here
for having said that. In reality.
he Is Only opening the way for
convincing London assurances
that the will OF these peoples
will Be met.
A SIDE from this. the only
"A fault that can be found with
Wilkes statement, as / see il.
Is that he implied our military
leaders and those OF the British,
needed prodding 10 institute
second front. Maybe they do and
maybe they don't. Certainly
prodding can do no harm.
I OOK at this perplexing situa-
IL ton also from Stains side.
The stuff that has been given
out by Moscow is excellent do
nestle Russian propaganda. IL
relieves Mr.. Stain % response
bility for what has happened
and diverts the attention of the
local Russian Reds from their
setbacks.
Personally I recommend that
you consider it inexplicable di-
plomacy, and skip IL. for the
present.
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