Evening star., 1944-03-10
DiscIaims
Any Differences With
Over Fleet
Leaves Impression Reds
Will Get Ships Other
Than Those From ItoIy
By the Associated Press.

nS LIE ASSOClateQ PIeSS.
President Roosevelt declared
today that what he and Prime
minister Churchill had SAID
about disposition of the Italian
fleet was correct; that no con-
troversy could be made of it, and
that he would violate military
security by discussing what yes
sells might go to various places.
Mr.. Roosevelt spoke in response tc
q question at news conference
whether there was anything fur.
ther that might be said about the
status OF the Italian fleet, since
considerable comment, controversy
or discussion" has arisen.
The President announced a week
ago that third of the Italian fleet
or its equivalent might be turned
over to Russia.
The President remarked that quite
a lot Of persons had omitted some
Of his key words and he agreed with
a reporter that those words were:
| Ut CAe equlValenC.
Churchill Explained to Commons.
(Mr. Churchill told Commons
yesterday that "the question of
the future employment and dis
posal OF the Italian fleet has been
the subject of some discussion,
and in particular consideration
has been given to the immediate
reinforcement of the Soviet Navy
either from Anglo-American or
italian resources"
CHe said the question of ulti-
mate disposal of Italian ships
may not be settled until after the
end of the war, and added that
"at present no change is con-
templated in the arrangements"
whereby Italian ships and crews
are operating against Germany
| Meanwhile, it was learned her
that more than a dozen British ant
American surface warships plus /,
score of other naval craft may b,
assigned to Russia under the dea
now pending on the italian feet.
Would Serve fer Duration.
The present plan, it was said
Is to transfer British and Amer
lean naval units to Russian op
GRAFTON for the duration of tn
war and leave the Italian fleet rela.
lively intact in the Mediterranean
where it has performed we'll under
American and British direction.
Once the Russians have been in
structed in the handling of thu
vessels they get, strategic factor
indicate they will be put in servic,
on the northern supply route tx
Murmansk. They cannot be moved
into the Black Sea because of Ger.
man control, through island -basee
aircraft of the Mediterranean ap.
proaches to the Dardanellas. Even,
tually, If Russia goes to war with
Japan, they might be employed IL
the Pacific.
First Reports Confusing.
The full story of Italian fleet dis
position indicates that most of tn,
confusion and particularly the con
Germ expressed by Premier Pietrt
Badoglio in Italy over what was tt
happen arose from the way in which
the news was first made public
At the time of Mr. Roosevelt
press conference last Friday, tn,
problem had been under study b,
military authorities for severa
months. They were created b,
terms of the Italian surrender las
September and developed this way
The surrender was made to Gen
Dwight D. Eisenhower, then Med.
lterranean commander, who actet
on behalf of the United States
Russia and Britain and in the in.
terest of the United Nations. The
three big powers, therefore, were the
only Allies which had direct claim
to division of captured materials
Sometime after the surrender, the
Russians made an inquiry which
was, in effect, what about our share
of the f1eet?"
At that time it seemed likely that
Turkey would come into the war
Turkish belligerency probably woulc
have resulted in clearing the Eastern
Mediterranean.
The disposition of Anglo-Ameri,
can staff chiefs then was to make
an actual split of the italian navy
leaving two-thirds in the Mediter.
ranean and transferring the Other
third to Russia for the rest of the
war. But as Turkish negotiations
dragged, the feet problem dragged
with them.