Evening star., 1944-08-17
London Paper Charges
Headquarters BIunder
In Command Mixup
BY the Associated Press.

80 the ASSUCiutcu GfcoS
LONDON, Aug. 1.-THE London
Daily Mirror said editorially today
that supreme headquarters blum
dered in the reported mixup over
the commands of Gen. Sir Bernard
L. Montgomery and 1t. Gen. Omar
N. Bradley.
The editorial added that "in the
general handling of the war news"
headquarters has been amateurish,
inconsistent and confusing"
1T is time efficiency was estab-
lished In this vital matter" the
newspaper said, demanding that
Montgomery be offered IAN apology"
for printed and broadcast state
ments he was denoted" to equal
footing with Gen. Bradley.
Supreme headquarters had issued
a statement Wednesday that there
had been no change in Gen. Mont
gomery's status as deputy in the
field to Supreme Comdr. Gen. Eisen-
hover, and that the British general
still commanded all ground forces.
including Gen. Bradley's 18th Army
Group and the British Canadian
2lst Army Group.
Dispatch Passed Censorx.
Dispatches carried Tuesday by the
Associated Press, Reuters and the
British Press Association said Gen.
Bradley assumed a command equal
to that of Gen. Montgomerys be-
cause of his command of the 18th
Army Group. The Associated Press
dispatch was based on information
from the field, passed by American
Army censorship, and headquarters
correspondents of Reuters and the
British Press Association said their
stories had been confirmed by an
official in the headquarters confer
ence room.
The Mirror cited the Reuters dis
patch from supreme headquarters
which said, TT is offlcially stated
that Gen. Eisenhower has taken
over command in the field and I'M
der him on equal footing are Mont
Romery and Bradley"
This message" the Mirror said.
was not only included in the BBC
news bulletin. but was printed In
earlier editions of all London news
papers. The meaning of it seemed
plain. Montgomery had been de-
NOTED, and that is the meaning
which hundreds of thousands of
people must have attached to the
statement"
Denial Satisfactory"
Speaking of the subsequent Reu-
ters withdrawal and headquarters
denial of the story, the Mirror said
1t was satisfied" with Reuters ex-
planation that it received this
message from an officer at supreme
headquarters" and added:
1T was confirmed at supreme
headquarters, passed by the censor
at supreme headquarters and then
more than two hours afterWard de-
MED by supreme headquarters. Later
similar story reached this country
AS true from Washington, but su-
preme headquarters still stuck to its
denial.
What is behind this confusing
alienation of official assertion and
contradiction we do not know" the
Mirror said, but We were already
aware that throughout the war
much mischief has been caused by
the issue from various headquarters
OF untrue statements and ill-advised
'directives'
Blunder Is Changed.
When an army control so vastly
important as supreme headquarters
falls into similar blunders it becomes
clear something is seriously wrong:
something which cannot but ave
an adverse effect on the hal of
Anglo o-Aslerican cooperation ~ the
field.
In general the handling of war
news has been amateurish, incon-
sistent and confusing. One day Of
fetal optimism runs high; the next
some one cautiously plays it down.
1t is time efficiency was established
In this vital matter, and, meanwhile.
Montgomery is the man who suffered
most from the latest exhibition of
official ineptitude. When is he to
get his apology?"