The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
Stettinius To London
By JOSEPH HARSCH

BY JOSEPH HARSCH
Don't look for too much meaning behind
the trip Edward Stettinius, the new Undersec-
rotary of State, is making to London. He is
taking a staff of about a dozen key men from
the Department with him and there will be
vast amount of spadework done, particular
ly on postwar problems But the purpose is
not to settle any particular matter but
just to explore the whole general field of SUBJ
jects of common interest to British and Amer
lean policy and to work for little more
harmony between the State Department and
the Foreign Office.
There is ample room for such work. Lon
don and Washington have been linked closely
at the top through the relationship of the
President and Mr.. Churchill. But their rela-
tionshp has been so close and so direct that
gaps have developed farther down the line.
Mr.. Hull has never been to London since
the economic conference at the beginning of
the Roosevelt Administration. Mr.. Eden, his
opposite number, was with Mr.. Hull at Mos
COW and has been here once in recent years,
but there has been no close working associa-
ton between them. as between their chiefs.
And now there is a new man in the Under
secretaryshp here in Washington who has nev-
er dealt with the Foreign Office directly This
will be Mr.. Stettnius's social call" 1t comes
at time when the old harmony at the top
has been somewhat compromised by differ
enceS of opinion over War-settlement prob
lens and when the atrophy of relations on
the lower levels thus assumes some impor-
lance as a problem.
There were never any serious differences
between Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Churchill overI
war policy when it was just war and nothing
else. But when the war progresses to the
point where decisions of war are also deci-
slons on postwar political forms OF nations
It's different matter. The two men have
their differences and those differences are be-
ginning to emerge now. British and Ameri-
can policy managed to maintain a common
front on the surface over the French prob
lem, but it wasn't easy. London is strongly
in favor Of full and complete recognition OIL
the de Gaulle group as the political heir to
France. The President is still holding back
on such full recognition.
The difference over Italy is even more
acute, and much more apparent on the sur
face. Mr. Churchills avowed desire to keen
King Victor Emmanuel on the throne is
strongly disapproved here
The Presidents lighthandeo and informal
disclosure of the plan to give the Russians a
share in the Italian fleet may not have been
deliberate blast of dynamite under the
FOUNDATIONS OF brlta1n'S Italian policy, but it
certainly reflected thorough indifference to
the fate of the Victor EmmanuelBadoglio re-
glme And Mr.. Churchills meeting with Gen
erallsslmo Chang Kai-shek at Cairo has not
as yet brought British policy even remotely
into line with the American plan to encourage
the emergence of China as the dominant Far
Eastern power. Mr. Roosevelt has always
been 'pro-China." Mr. Churchill NAV have
lost some of his inherited British Tory atti-
tude toward China, but that hasn't brought
him into step with Mr.. Roosevelt on the sub
ject
There are also some differences over South
American policy. The Colonies clique running
things in Argentina just now is definitely anti
United States, but has very close and SYM
pathetic ties with London, particularly in fl
nancial circles. Whether the matter has ever
been discussed between Mr.. Roosevelt and
Mr.. Churchill is uncertain Both of them are
much more interested in Europe and their
important personal differences are over Eu-
ropean matters. But Argentina is another
point where the surface appearance of Lon
don-Washington collaboration can stand lit
tie augmentation on the lower levels,
All OF this gives Mr.. Stettnius and his
staff plenty OF fertile ground to work in. They
are seeking Qualification of points of view.
It's Just as important to understand differ
enceS as 1t Is to settle them. Sometimes they
can't be settled. But they can be talked about
and adjusted into accurate perspective And
better relationship between the responsible
officials always helps. Thus the trip has its
value and Importance, but should not be re-
garded as major diplomatic conference.