Evening star., 1943-09-23
Eden Sees Opportunity
10 Lasting Accord
With Russians
By the Associated Pres.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Sept. 23.-Foreign Sec
retary Anthony Eden said yester-
day that within the next few
months Britain, the United States
and Russia would have an oppor-
tunity to reach a lasting under
standing of such a nature that
even the horrors of this war will
not have been in vain"
The Foreign Secretary covered a
wide field in carrying the House of
Commons war debate into the Sec
ond day with the same frankness
which characterized Prime Minister
Churchill's opening address Tues
day.
He rebuked critics of Britain's
dealings with Russia and declared
that confidence could not be created
by one side alone. He repudiated
any allegations that AMG-the
Allied Military Government for Oc-
cupied Territory-had maintained
Fascist officials in office.
He said that Britain did not in
tend TO annex Sicily and he said
that the sooner that island could be
turned over to an Italian admins
tration the better.
Optimistic on Russian Talks.
Mr.. Eden said he wanted to see in
Italy itself government las broad
Iy based as possible including all
elements and all parties which were
not Fascist in character"
He. voiced great optimism about
the forthcoming tripartite confer
ences and was especially caustic in
replying to critics OF the govern
ment's dealings with Russia.
Members have urged upon us that
we should seek the closest collabora-
ton with the Soviet government" /"
he said.
1 agree absolutely and entirely.
That is our policy and we shall
persist IN II - he said, add
ing:
I have surveyed as hon
estly and impartially as can the
work That we have sought to do with
the Soviet government since the
treaty (Anglo- Soviet was signed
last year, and I can honestly saw
tnat we do not feel that we have
anything to reproach ourselves with
IN our efforts to give effect to that
treaty.
Urges Frank Dealings,
III there has not been as manv
personal exchanges by the leading
persons OF the two governments as
we would like, it is fair to say that
we nave made more than our share
OF Efforts to meet our allies. 1t is
with this spirit that we shall ap-
proach our problems in the future -
The Foreign Secretary declared
that if the two countries were to
understand one another I'VE must be
frank with one another" and he
added there is too much history of
past misunderstanding to pretend
that differences do not exist if in
fact they do exist"
Sometimes our Russian friends
say to us, and frequently" he con-
t1nued, that we do not understand
their point of view.
On these occasions they express
themselves clearly, even forcibly. /
make no complaint about that. but
there are occasions also. when we
feel that they do not understand our
point OF view and believe it to be
In the ultimate interests of our good
relations that We should speak out
on these occasions. '' V
All Interests in Peace.
As an example, Mr.. Eden cited
an article in the Soviet magazine
War and the Working Glasses
which said that in the first stages
of the present war wide mass of
English workers maintained a more
or less critical waiting attitude to-
ward the war, but when Hitler in
vaded the Soviet English workers
began to support the war effort,
placing in forefront the war against
Germany and its accomplices.
The Foreign Secretary pointed out
that these publications do not ap-
pear in Soviet Russia If they run
strongly counter to the views of
the government"
MIR. Eden said that there would be
times when the countries had diff
fering views, "but broadly the in
terests of this country, of the Brit
ish commonwealth, of the United
States, of Russia and of China are
the same because, broadly, our in
tereSts do not clash and all of our