Evening star., 1942-10-08
What Is Wrono?

What Is Wrong?
Wendell WILKES latest public
statement-that in which he calls
for IAN all-out armed offensive
everywhere by all United Nations"
and guarantees of postwar free
dom in Asia-lends credence to the
disturbing belief that the Allied ma
tions lack that unity of purpose
and completeness OF understanding
which is essential to victory over the
Axis.
When Mr.. Willkie, in his Moscow
statement, urged creation of a Sec
ond front and the "prodding" of mill
tary leaders who were reluctant to
take that step, there was a tendency
to dismiss his remarks on the as
sumption that he was speaking out
OF turn" But this assumption seems
less valid in view of Joseph Stains
implied accusation that the Allies
meaning the United States and
Britain-are not fulfilling their OBJ
legations to Russia, and Mr.. WILKES
latest comments, which were made
at Chungking with the apparent ap-
proval of high-ranking Chinese Of
ficials.
These statements by Mr.. Willkie
and the reactions of Mr.. Stain and
his Chinese hosts point directly to
the suggestion that there is seri-
Gus dissatisfaction in both China
and Russia with the policies which
have been shaped in Washington
and London. The inference is that
there has not yet been worked out
a comprehensive war plan which is
mutually satisfactory to the princi-
pal belligerents in the Allied ranks.
This is matter which goes far be-
yond the question of a second front
in the sense in which that term or
dinarily is used. Mr.. Stalins ref
erence to the second front was vague,
and Mr.. Wilkes latest pronounce
ment was even more 50. There is
not clear insistence that there be
an invasion of Europe now, cost what
it may. But it is quite plain that the
Russians and the Chinese are thor
oughly dissatisfied with the amount
of aid they are receiving in the form
of war materials, and this discomfort,
1t seems, runs more to the alloca-
tions which have been made than to
the failure of supply routes.
1t hardly seems reasonable to sup
pose that Chinese and Russian Of
ficials would publicly indicate dis
pleasure because their Allies have
been unable to sweep the Germans
and the japanese from the supply
routes. The difficulties in this re-
spect must be fully understood in
Moscow and Chungking, and this, If
correct, supports the belief that the
Russians and the Chinese are dis
satisfied primarily because they be-
lieve that their supply needs have
not been given sufficient weight in
the overall planning by this Gov
ernment and Great Britain. They
seem to feel that their requirements
have been relegated to the back
ground in the decisions which have
been taken as to the distribution of
war supplies produced in Britain and
the United States despite the fact
that they have been, and are doing,
the bulk of the fighting.
Not knowing the facts, it is i'm
possible for the layman to form an
opinion as to the suff1ciency OF the
foundation for this grievance. But
the evidence that something is wrong
Is distressingly clear, to our enemies
as well as to us. As yet, neither
Prime Minister Churchill nor Presi-
dent Roosevelt has had any COM
ment to make for publication, but
1t would be foolish to assume that
they are not doing everything In
their power to close the breach. The
most that the people can do is to
express their earnest hope that it
will not be permitted to grow wider.