Evening star., 1942-03-31
Australia Now Presses
For Representation in
Joint Staff Council
Follows Up Victory
In Creating Pacific
War Unit Here
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

Having arranged with Great Brit
ain the creation in Washington of
a Pacific War Council which is de-
signed to exercise political control
over the conduct of the United
Nations war against Japan, the
American Government now is being
pressed to admit an Australian mil
itary representative to the joint staff
council of the United States and
Great Britain which meets here,
1t was learned today.
The Australian and New Zealand
governments strong desire for ex-
pansion of the joint staff council
was one of the two principal points
In the agenda of Dr. Herbert Evatt,
Australian Minister for External At
fairs, when he was sent to the
United States two weeks ago at
the head Of a special mission. Dr.
Evatt's arguments swung the bal
ance in the long debate over whether
the Pacific council should be set
up here.
First Meeting Tomorrow.
With President Roosevelt repre-
senting the United States, the new
Pacific War Council will hold its
first meeting tomorrow at the White
House. Other governments repre-
sented are Great Britain, Australia,
New Zealand, the Netherlands,
China and Canada 1t is expected
that any Latin American countries
with a Pacific coast which declare
war against the Axis will be ad-
mitted subsequently.
The view was expressed in in
formed quarters here that the es-
tabllShment of the Washington
council has the effect of dividing
the world in two generally equal
halves for the conduct of the war
making Washington the political
headquarters for the war in the
Pacific and the Far East, and Lon
don the political headquarters for
the war in Europe and the Near
East.
London Role May Decline.
Although President Roosevelt
stated in his brief announcement
about the purpose Of the new coun-
Gil that it would keep in intimate
contact with a similar body in Lon
don. the London body is expected
to decline into meaninglesSneSs if
the Washington council takes on
the real authority which its boosters
hope it will have The London
council as it has existed is composed
OF representatives only of the Brit
ish Commonwealth of Nations.
The disclosure yesterday that the
Pacific council has been established
mere brings to an end an awkward
political problem for both the
United States and Great Britain
Britain wanted the body in Lon
don, and the American Government,
until DR.. Evatt's arrival, was in
clined to agree to the London view.
The Australian government, on the
other hand. felt that London had
q m1sconception of the Importance
of the Racific war.
Want Grand Strategy.
The new body will serve to thresh
out with London the question of
dividing forces among the Euro
pean and Pacific theaters and will
frame the grand strategy for the
Pacific, if it functions as the Aus
trallan government hopes it will.
The Australians want membership
also in the joint staff council so
that they can contribute directly to
discussion of the tactical plan for
acting on the grand strategy.
The councilmen who will meet
with the President tomorrow are
DR.. Evatt for Australia, Ambassador
Halifax for Great Britain, Foreign
Minister T. " Soong for China.
Minister Alexander Loudon for the
Netherlands, Minister Walter Nash
for New Zealand and Hume Wrong,
councelor of Legation, for Canada.
1T is important" President
Roosevelt said in disclosing the
councils creation, that all of the
United Nations now actually en-
gagged in the Pacific conflict con-
slider together matters of policy re-
lating to our joint war effort
An effective war can only be
prosecuted with the complete CO.
operation and understanding of all
the nations concerned. The new
council will be in intimate contact
wish a similar body in London"