The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-09-04
UNITED NATIONS
 ! ALERT TO 2ND | FRONT PROBLEM
k By WILLIAM H. LANDER
 iTInitAd Press Staff Correspondent,

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 washington, Sept. 4.-tUP)-- Argument about the opening of second front seems destined to have an active life.
 As matters now stand, only ont thing, apparently, can really halt the controversy actually launch ing of the second front.
 Talk of new fronts was common during the lull after the fall oi Poland, that period known in slang as the "phoney war" or false wal period. There was then mention oi opening new fields of battle where Germany on the one hand anc France and Britain on the other neither of whom had seen much warfare, mightt trade a few blows.
 The Russian demand for Q sec ond front is entirely different; 1t t a plea by a wounded nation for it' friends to jump on the assailant so that the load of fighting thC stronger aggressor may more even, ly be divided It is more like that of man, resiating a stronger rob- Der with whom he is at grips, whc sees that he may lose everything T help doesn't come soon from hG friends across the street.
 LitvinOff Urged 1t
 Thus the question of new from is not so much one of England anc the United States finding a place to fight their common enemy Ger many, as of doing something soor enough to save Russia.
 Millions of words have beer written and spoken about a second front, and 1t appears that more wil continue to pour out daily until th' matter passes from the realm ol theory to that of action. And if I fails to do so, then 1t is likely to b' one of the big subjects of recrim' ination on the part of Russia to- ward her allies, particularly Eng land.
 ofncial declarations about tht second front are worth reviewing Probably the first Soviet official tC suggest the matter publicly wal Soviet ambassador to Washington Maxim Litvinoff, who urged 1t a the time the Soviet armies were counter-attacking during the bit ter Russian winter. after drama tically. halting the Nazis at tht gates of Moscow. At that time ther( was little activity in Libya, and thu British in Europe were not active although they and the United States and Dutch forces were thar fighting heavily in Asia.
 Speaking at a mass-meeting 1T New York, Litvinoff in Februar! used these words to urge the Brit ish to attack the Nazis in the west
 We are proud that it has faller to our lot to smash Hitler's wal machine, but we by no means in sist on exclusive rights"
 Air Raids Not Enough
 Behind the proposal, reportedly was the view of the Russian gen. eral staff that the British bomb ings of Germany and German-helc territory were not adequate to forc' Adolf Hitler to divert troops iron the east to the west.
 The idea of a second land iron was generally accepted by tn United States and Great Britain Gen. George 0. Marshall speaking at the West Point commencement exercises three months ago, saiC that United States troops woulC land in France.
 In June Soviet Foreign Commis' sar Molotov visited London. wher' he signed treaty, and Washing ton, where he conferred with Presi dent Roosevelt and his militar. and civilian aids.
 Tn the course of the converse tions," said the White House an nouncement of June Il, l942, "ful understanding was reached witl regard to the urgent tasks of creat ing a second front in Europe II 1942."
 (This is the nost definite publi' commitment on the subject t' date)
 Churchill Meets Stalin
 Later in the same month, Win ston Churchill visited the Unitet joint statement was issued b. States, and on his return to Londol President Roosevelt and the prim, minister (June 2D. It included tn following paragraph:
 While exact plans, for obviou reasons, cannot be disclosed, it car be said that he coming operation which were discussed in detail a our Washington conferences, be- tween ourselves and our respectiv' military advisers, will divert Ger man strength from the attack or Russia"
 After Churchill's conferences witt Josef Stalin in Moscow in mid August, the communique made nt specific mention of the second iron question. It referred broadly to th' fact that "a number of decision covering the field of the war agains Hitlerite Germany and her asso' ciates in Europe" had been reached but gave no hint of just how thu second front matter stood.
 Russia. fighting with it's back t' the wall is demanding that the di' version be created, before 1t is tot late" Friends of the Sovietts herr are complaining of the 'Magino complex" which they say seems t. predominate some Anglo-Americai leaders. They suggest that unles the new front is forthcoming soon it may be fo little value, insofar a saving Russia is concerned.