Evening star., 1944-02-24
Allied Policy and Unity

In his excellent address the other
day, apart from what he had to say
OF the overall military picture,
Prime Minister Churchill discussed
British and Allied policy with such
frankness that the political at
mosphere of the world now seems
much clearer and much more re-
assuring than it was before he spoke.
In respect to Italy, Yugoslavia,
Greece-and, by implication, France
and other occupied countries-he
made this eminently sound obser-
vation, that "the safest and sanest
course for us to follow is to Judge
all parties and factions diSpassion-
ately by the test of their readiness
and ability to fight the Germans
and thus tighten the burden OF
Allied troops" Hence. our dealings
with the Badoglio government in
Italy, since any abrupt overthrow of
that government, before Rome is
won, might seriously affect the tide
of battle. Hence, too. Britain's un-
qualified backing. with American
and Russian support Of Marshal
Tito's Partisan forces in Yugoslavia,
even though General Mikhailovitch
head of the rival faction now
clashing with Tito-is part of King
Peters government-in-ex What
counts at this juncture of the war,
in short, is not the political back
ground of this or that group but
the groups military value in the
Allied effort to crush Hitler. Cen
orally speaking, the theological
issues can wait.
With equal frankness, Mr..
Churchill has made clear just where
his government stands In respect
to the Russo-Polish question. 1t is
for strong, integral, independent
Poland" but it believes that the
Curzon Line formula should be &C
cepted by the Poles as a basis for
working out a friendly territorial
dSLCCAlCllV Will Nuoold. 11iC ol llUlS1l
Prime Minister holds out more than
a little hope on this score. being
convinced. as a result of his talks
with Premier Stain, that the Soviet
Union is sincerely anxious to reach
mutually satisfactory settlement.
In any event, there is no question
| in Mr.. Churchill's mind about
Anglo-American-British unity in
prosecuting the war to the hilt.
The Big Three have lost none of
the ground gained at the Moscow
and Teheran conferences; they are
absolutely united" in their resolve
to destroy the common enemy, and
they look forward to "a wide field
of friendly cooperation" when
peace comes-such cooperation
embracing, presumably, problems
like that of Poland, the Balkans and
the future of Germany.
In recent weeks there has been
great deal of gloomy talk-much of
it divisive-about political develop
ments among the United Nations.
But Mr.. Churchill is reaSsuring.
Though he does not pretend that
perfect harmony prevails, he finds,
in that measured way of his. that
Allied relationships will grow in
strength if we but give them half
chance. To this end, he offers wise
and eloquent counsel: "My hope is
that generous instincts of unity will
not depart from us in these times
OF immense exertion and grievous
sacrifice and that we shall not fall
apart abroad or at home and so be-
come the prey of the little folk who
exist in every country and flock
alongside the juggernaut car of war
to see what fun or notoriety they
can extract from the proceedings"
The words seem singularly suited
to the hour, perhaps more so in
America than anywhere else.