Evening star., 1943-12-06

S~
ton.
This is such an obvious need that
1t mayA cause surprise to find 1t has
not thus far been accomplished. But
geographical considerations and the
difficulty of forming any kind of
juncture between the Russian forces
on the continent and the Allied
forces in the Mediterranean or as
between the air squadrons of the
east and west have tended to prevent
military coordination however logi-
cal it may have seemed on paper.
Some day, of course, Turkey may
come into the war on our side but
that can hardly be imminent be-
cause the Turks are not yet prepared
for it and we have not been able to
mount any considerable help for
Turkey in the Eastern Mediterra-
mean. If the war in Europe lasts
into 1945, a drive up through Turkey
and the Balkans may materialize
provided expeditions can be devel-
oped for that purpose in the next
several months without using up the
shipping or supplies needed in other
theaters of war against Germany.
Political Factors.
There are certain political factors
in connection with Turkey and the
Balkans which have needed clarifi-
cation. President Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Churchill didn't
travel all the way to Iran Just to
talk about the vague generalities
which are used in official commune
ques. Nor were high military off,
GERS of Britain and America taken
along for window dressing purposes.
The real reason unquestionably was
to eliminate possibilities Of political
friction as between Russia and Bal
kan countries and Turkey so that
once the picture became clear the
military men could make plans for
co-ordinating the use of land, sea
and air forces.
Military coordination means
something else, too. 1t means that
when the British and American
high commands get ready to launch
simultaneous blows at Northern
France, Southern France, Norway
and Holland, as well as possibly
across the Adriatic into Yugoslavia.
the Russian military command must
move in synchronized order so as
to prevent the Nazis from with
drawing troops and air power from
the Russian front and concentrat-
ing it against the Allies.
Military decisions are never an
nounced in the communicates but
experience has proved that the con-
ferences between heads of govern
ments in the past when attended
by high military persons usually
yield results six months to a year
afterwards.
Confusion in Press Reports.
Incidentally, the confusion in
press reports concerning the meet
ings Of Messrs. Roosevelt, Churchill
and Stain need not be taken too
seriously. MiXups are bound to
occur when an effort is made to
keep secret such important meet
ings as have just been held and
yet the plan to withhold official in
formation until the principals were
we'll on their way back to their
home ports was a sensible one.
Even il it be assumed that Ber-
lin knew about the conferences it
is questionable how much the Nazis
could be sure about. Also If the
information is made official and
time and place are revealed, it en-
courages saboteurs in local areas to
take a chance on doing damage to
the conferees and to try to guess
the route taken No amount of
eagerness on the part of the press
or the radio to report what's hap
pened would justify taking the
slightest chance Of jeopardizing the
arrangements to protect the move
'ments of the principals.
Even II the British and Russian
news agencies made the mistake of
giving out few facts about the
conferences before the time agreed
on oficially-and this is something
that can be prevented hereafter
by cooperation among the govern
ments and news agencies concerned
no great harm has been done by
what was actually published where
as to have revealed of1icially when
and where the conferences did take
place might have done irreparable
harm.
'- Axis agents and saboteurs are
everywhere in the Mediterranean
theaters OF war. When the full
story of the risks taken by Presi-
dent Roosevelt, Prime Minister
Churchill and Generalissimo Chang
Kai-shek by their meeting at Cairo
can be disclosed-if indeed it should
be before the war ends-the public
will be able to see that the precau-
tions taken were fully warranted,
even though some prematurely dis
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