The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-01-31

It was bitter battle not only omong the French, but with the American press taking sides, and with caustic criticism hurled at the State Department for cooper ating with appeasers and aban- doning the Four Freedoms. New ertheless, Secretary Hull stuck with Vichy.
 In view of al this, it is mat ter of considerable importance that General Eisenhower, Su- preme Commander for the in- vasion of Europe, has recently been back in the United States with a private confession that the pro-Vichy policy was all wrong.
 General Eisenhower, is now 100 per cent behind General De GaulIe. Furthermore, U. $. Ambassador Ed Wilson, an able and shrewd observer, who has represented the State Depart ment in North Africa, is re- ported by friends to agree em- phatically with General Eisen- hover. They feel that De-
 Gaulle represents the over whelming majority of the peo- pie of France.
 Eisenhower, being a military man, not a politician, did not understand French politics when he invaded North Africa. How ever, as he hears the time when he will invade Western Europe, he has to figure on getting the support of the French people. He knows that De Gaulle is the man who can deliver that support. ITALIANS HATE KING
 Doubtless Eisenhower, also has in the back of his mind the dis appointing experience he had with Italian troops. Allied lead CTS had hoped that, once their working agreement with Marshal Badoglio was arranged, they would get real support from the Italian Army. It was hoped that Italian troops would turn round and fight the Nazis. How ever, this didn't happen.
 One reason it didn't happen was the fact that the Italian Army had no new leadership, noth- ing new to fight for. Badoglio was the great friend of the King and, for a long time, he had talk en orders from Mussolini even if he didn't like him. So the Italian Army lacked enthusiasm for fighting under a refurbished, hand-me down Fascist.
 De Gaulle, on the other hand, has been completely divorced from Vichy, has battled against the Vichyites, has been opposed by them even in exile. Tn the
 mind of the average French man, he stands for new demo- cratic ideals.
 Why the State Department didn't realize this two years ago is hard for the average U. s. citizen to understand. The an- SWer is the same answer as to whE the States Department thought it could do business with the King of Italy or Mussolini's son-in-law or the King of Greece.
 The answer is also the same answer as to why the State De- partment never realized the vital issues in the Spanish Civil War. played ball with Franco instead of democracy, did not see that Spain was a testing ground where war in Europe might have been stopped.
 In brief, the answer is that most top men in the State De- partment come from family backgrounds of wealth or isola- ton which prevent them from understanding the psychology of the common people. And those who have no idea what the American people are thinking cannot possibly guage the more intricate public opinion in France or Italy.
 NOTE: The State Department has lot of Al youngsters com ing along if they are not spoiled by the die-hards on top.
 ROME IN RUINS
 The rapid approach of Allied troops toward Rome brings a shudder to Washington officials, who fear there's not much chance the city will survive. Before many days have passed, the Eternai City, unsurpassed as a monumel.. in history, repository of art, and a center of religious life for half the world. may be wrecked.
 Officials expect the Germans to take advantage of our urgent need to capture Rome by placing on us the onus of its destruction. As