Evening star., 1943-10-14
British Press Held Fair
To American War Effort.

To the Editor of The Star:
1t is reported that Senator Mead of
New York brought back from his recent
tour "a batch of clippings from the
British press to show the anti-American
bias he had charged. The United States
was given credit for only 10 per cent of
the victories in Italy"
1t would be interesting to know from
what publications these clippings were
taken. For some considerable time past
I have been in the habit Of reading a
representative cross section of news
papers and magazines published in Great
Britain and can assert that almost with
out exception they display intense en-
thusiasm for all things American and
universally generous appraisal of the
American war effort.
I also read large number of Ameri-
can newspapers and magazines and in
my experience they contain much
greater proportion of apathy toward
Britain than do the British publications
toward America. In London at the
present moment no less than 10 theaters
are showing plays by American authors
to crowded houses. For every book on
British subject published in America
last year Is books on American subjects
were published in England.
I have just looked up editorial COM
ments in British newspapers at the time
of Italy's surrender. None of them was
so stupid as to attempt to assess the
respective percentage contributions of
America and Britain to the victory. In
all of them there is full appreciation of
Americas part.
The following extract from an edi-
torial in the most influential of England's
daily newspapers is typical Of the rest:
Seldom in military history has victory
been more dramatically superimposed
upon defeat than in the campaign that
began with the Battle of Ell Alamein.
The conquest of Italy triumphantly vim
dicates the Mediterranean strategy, and
the first credit is due to the statesman
who, through all vicissitudes of fortune,
has remained constant to the strategic
plan from first to last-to Winston
Churchill. It's execution has been the
work of innumerable hands. but there is
glory enough for them all to have a
share. The potent contribution of the
United States, which alone made the vast
conception possible, began long before
armed Americans appeared in Africa to
take up an equal share in the offensive
phase of the war :. The generosity of
our Allies will concede to the British
Empire peculiar right to celebrate the
exploits of its many nations and races
We look back over three years to the
bitter day when it was necessary to sur
render British Somaliland without
blow to the Italian enemy who now lies
at our feet. Step by step with many
checks and some severe setbacks that
humiliating position has been retrieved,
and for most of the time the forces of
the empire had to fight their way for
ward alone. Every dominion has had its
share. The Union of South Africa played
dominant part in liberating the eastern
regions Of continent that must here
after rely more and more upon her
leadership. Australia and New Zealand
fought doughtily to maintain the i'm
perial communications through the
Middle East which are so vital to their
own security. Canadian valor, long held
IN restraint by the needs OF defense in