The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-12-27

NOTE: Singapore is now for
titled as the British never
dreamed. They had a bew big
guns pointing out to sea, but the
Japs now have huge concrete for
tificationS of the type the ma
rines found on Tarawa, all around
Singapore. 1t is a real fortress.
HONG RONG STILL
TO BE BRITISH
In addition to the deadlock
over Burma, Churchill and Roose-
welt also are reported to have had
a serious difference over Hong
Kong, Britain's chief pre-war
trading port in the Far East,
which was seized from the Chin
csc a hundred years ago during
the Opium War.
The President, it is said, want
ed Churchill to cede Hong Kong
to the Chinese Immediately. Then
Chang Kai-shek would immedi-
ately turn round and declare
Hong Kong free port, thus MAX
ing it open to the British, Ameri-
cans and the world. But the
Prime Minister was adamant. In
the end, the joint communique
mentioned only the return of
those parts of China conquered
by Japan. British territory TAX
en- from China was omitted.
By this time, the President
and Churchill were in serious
disagreement. 1t was their first
real row in their two years of
continuous cooperation. Their
differences are reported to have
been such that the after-effects
carried over to Teheran, and the
President, after his return to
Washington, is said to have
commented to close friends on
Churchill's obstinacy.
The President is reported to
have had a hard time keeping
Chang Kai-shek Gained down af-
ter the deadlock at Cairo. And
at Teheran, it was Roosevelt and
Stain who got along famously.
In fact, U. S. military and naval
advisers came back singing the
praises of the Russians-what
great strategists they were and
how easy to understand. They
were Officially silent about the
British.
Some of this leaked out during
White House conferences with the
railroad men, when the lat
ter were told how Stain kidded
Churchill about his intransigeant
position on certain things, and
how the President joined in the
kidding.
AMERICAN TROOPS
in SECOND FRONT
One matter which Senators are
watching with particular care is
the question Of what proportion
of British and American troops
shall make up the second front.
1t has long been reported that
Churchill has maintained Bri-
tain could not supply more than
80 per cent of the invading army,
as against 70 per cent of u. S.
troops. Thus, if the invading
army was one million men, it
would be 100000 British and
100000 American.
Churchill has advanced some
good reasons for this, from the
British viewpoint namely,
Britain's much smaller pOpula-
ton and her terrific loss Of
young manhood In 1914 which
set the country back almost
generation.
Nevertheless, several senators,
especially lone-wolf Senator Lam
ger of North Dakota, intend to
ask some very potent and en-
barrassing questions as to why a
tremendous American army Is to
fight for Britain if, at the same
time, Britain refuses to relinquish
Hong Kong or give India some
thing to fight for in Burma.
MERRY-GO-ROUND
The Germans now make mines
of plastic, which cannot be To-
Gated by magnetic detectors. They
are reported to have sowed a
dense minefield along the coas.
of France to head off the second
front President Rios of Chill
recently told newsmen he expect
ed to visit the United States. TIL
plan Is now set aside, due to til
grave situation in Argentina an
Bolivia NOTE ON PAPE
CONSERVATION: U. S. Ste
Corporation sent an 11-page pre-
release to hundreds of Washiro
ton newSmen-and sent it twic
One copy came from the Ne,
York office, one from the Distrit
of Columbia office =. Flora Trli
jillo, daughter of the Dominica
dictator, has bought a house il
Washington. She gets an al
lowance Of $1,000 a month from
her papa, the Generalissimo q.