Evening star., 1943-12-02
Conference ChronoIooy
poy-by-Doy Account Of Sessions
Of Cairo Triportite Meetings

nished in what one observer face
tiously called Arabian Gothic
style. Huge rolls of other maps also
were carted into this conference.
Prominent in this brief meeting
were Gen. Cheng Chen. China's No.
l military figure under Gen. Chang,
and Admiral C. S. Yung, China S
only admiral. He has only Yangtze
River gunboats under his command
but has been engaged in military in
telligence work
Tuesday night, Gen. Marshall
dined with Mr.. Churchill, while Mr..
Roosevelt entertained the Chiangs
at dinner. At this dinner and at
one Wednesday night. when they
were guests Of Mr.. Churchill, Nine.
Chang acted as interpreter. She,
too, met the British Prime Minister
for the first time after arriving in
North Africa.
Wednesday. November "a.
In the morning, the British, Amer
lean and Chinese staffs held sep
arate conferences, with an all
inclusive military session in the
afternoon. Apparently more prog
ress was made at this session, for it
lasted an hour and 10 minutes
more than twice the length OF the
previous days meeting-and the
conferees looked a bit more pleasant
a." they emerged.
Wednesday afternoon, British
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden
came Unexpectedly into the picture
He and Sir Alexander Cadogan,
permanent undersecretary for for
eign affairs. arrived only a few min
utes after Harold Macmillan, Brit
ish member of the Mediterranean
Commission.
All three drove directly to Mr..
Churchill and the Chiangs. The
party did not break up until long
after midnight.
Thursday, November Is.
Thanksgiving Day was observed
not only by the Americans, but, out
Of courtesy, by the other delega-
tions as well. President Roosevelt s
proclamation was read at a special
service of the American Mission
Church. Just after sunset the joint
chiefs of staff attended another
service in an English church.
Friday, November rs.
The British and American staffs
met separately in the morning and
in the afternoon held the biggest
joint conference up to that time.
About 80 high British and Amer
lean officers trooped into the main
conference room, flecessitating many
extra chairs.
The session provided further evi-
dence that the whole canvas was
not being devoted to the Far East
ern picture. At the outset Gen.
Eisenhower presided and the talk
obviously centered on the Mediter-
ranean situation.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur w.
Tedder. the Mediterranean air COM
mander; Gen. Sir Henry Maitland
Wilson, British commander in chief
in the Middle East, and Air'Chief
Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas, COM
mander of the British air forces in
the Middle East, also were much in
evidence.
After more than an hour the men
primarily interested In the Mediter-
ranean left the conference-which
continued. Later the junior officers
came out, leaving only the highest
British and American chiefs, who
left word with the colorful, uni
formed British marines guarding
the doors not to disturb them under
any circumstances.
Gen. Marshall and Admiral Will
liam D. Leahy, chief Of staff to Mr..
Roosevelt. represented the United
States, while Gen. Brooke, Maj. Gen.
r. E. Laycock, commander of British
Commands, and Sir Andrew Browne
Cunningham, commander of Allied
naval forces in the Mediterranean,
sat In for Britain. The Chinese did
not attend the Friday conferences.
nor was Admiral Lord Louis Mount
batten present.
Social and individual conferences
rounded out the day, with Gen.
Eisenhower comforting a half hour
with the Chiangs, who later invited
Admiral Ernest j. King, commander
IN chief Of the United States
Fleet, to lunch. They also were
hosts at tea for 20 persons at
which an eyewitness said the con-
versation was so interesting the
guests forgot to eat the special Chi
nese food or drink the tea and
whisky.
Mr.. Churchill dined with Lord
Mountbatten. Mr.. Eden and Mr..
Cadogan.