The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-10-25
Inside Washington

Observation-Disclosures appears doomed te
disappointment if she seeks definite commit
ments from the United States and Great Brit.
ain regarding second front in France at the
meetings in Moscow, now under way between
Secretary of State Cordell Hull, British For.
elgn Minister Anthony Eden and Soviet Foreign
Commissar Viacheslav Molotov.
Soviet newspapers have already emphasiz-
ed that one of the primary topics the Russians
wish to discuss is the long-Sought second front
across the English channel
informed sources in Washington point out
that this is probably one thing that Hull and
Eden will be unable to discuss beyond general.
tiles and theories,
Hull, Eden and their staffs-with a few pos
slble exceptlons-Will be in no position to make
definite military commitments to the Soviets.
The position of the United States and Great
Britain, in fact, is certain to remain the same
as 1t has been for the past year-that second
front is desirable in western France as soon
as 1t will have a reasonable chance of success
But the stand of the Anglo-American allies
remains unshakable in that any such opera
ton is directly in the hands of the general staff
and sound front will be opened up in
western France for political purposes
This position has been set forth by Prime
Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt
Hull and Eden are expected to point out to
the Russians that the offensive in Italy is
draining some divisions from the German re-
serves in East Prussia and Poland.
They further are certain to stress the strage-
ic advantages of the Mediterranean campaign
that knocked Italy out of the and even
tually brought the Badoglio government into
the conflict as United Nations co-belliger-
ent.
The season being anything but favorable to
cross-channel operations there seems little
possibility of the Russian-sought French front
before spring.
Also, America and Britain point out to the
Russians the devastating effect of the great
air attacks on Htler's ''roofless" Fortress of
Europe.
The Seat that might have been occupied by
Generalissimo Chang Kai-Shek or his foreign
minister and brother-in-law, t. V. Soong, at
the momentous Moscow tripartite conference
will be empty. Reason for it is no slight to
China.
In fact, President Roosevelt, Prime Minis
ter Churchill and perhaps even josef Stain
would like to have China in on the big Allied
war poW-wow to complete the Big -Four. But
it cannot be done now.
The inside reason for it is the same reason
that Josef Stain was not invited to the Anglo
American Canadian war conference at Que
bee. And in the same way this was no sight
to Russia to those on the inside
The reason behind both facts is Japan. IL IS
the same reason why the United States can
not ask Russia for Siberian air bases at this
stage of the
The Quebec conference laid plans Tor An
glo-American operations against Japan. Mos
COW conference will deal with phases OF the
Anglo-American Russian war AGAINST Ger
many. Russia is at war only with Germany
and does not want second front major strug-
gle with Japan while she is trying to polish
off the Germans in Eastern Europe
China, of course, is at war with japan. SO
if China were to appeal at the MOSCOW war
talk, it would be Russian slap IN the lace to
Japan and might be the spark 10 1ouch OH
verv much unwanted attack by Japan on
Russia.