Evening star., 1945-01-11
Mystery in Allied Row
Seen Needing Airing
People Entitled to Know Facts on
Foreign Policy, Says Writer
By David Laurence


There's mystery in the international
situation which needs clearing up if
the public Is to decide whether Russia
or Britain or the United States is at
fault in the present controversy over
application of the Atlantic Charter.
For several days now it has become
evident that the British press and GER
tain American observers are calling for
a definition of American foreign policy
and are saying that the United States
Government has refused to accept re-
sponsibility in connection with the for
nation of governments in Greece and
Italy.
1t is further asserted that solutions
are not available and that the subject
of what kind of government to estab-
lish i'll the liberated countries is not
one that can be determined in advance
and so on
All OF this looks like a smokescreen
to cover up somebody's blunder Do the
British writers know what has been
happening behind the scenes and has
some OF this propaganda of criticism,
really directed at President Roosevelt,
been issued on the American side of the
Atlantic?
Solemn Agreement.
The fact is that the governments of
the United States, Great Britain and
Russia entered into a solemn agreement
TO recommend joint action in handling
the problems presented in Greece and
Italy Did the United States back out?
DID Britain go it alone and fail TO con-
suit the United States? Did Russia
take action alone in recognizing the
Iubiln government in Poland?
The American people are entitled to
know what happened to the following
pledge entered into at Moscow and
announced on November /, 1s43. as the
agreement of the Russian, British and
American governments:
The conference agreed to set up
machinery for insuring the closest
cooperation among the three govern
ments in the examination Of European
questions arising as the war develops.
For this purpose the conference decided
TO establish in London a European
advisory commission to study these
questions and to make Joint recommen-
datlons to the three governments.
provision was made for continuing,
when necessary, tripartite consultations
OF representatives of the three govern
ments in the respective capitals through
the existing diplomatic channels.
The conference also agreed to estab-
lish an advisory council for matters
relating to Italy, to be composed in the
flrst instance of representatives of their
three governments and of the French
Committee OF National Liberation. Pro-
vision Is made for the addition to this
council OF representatives of Greece
and YugoslaVia in view of their special
interests arising out of the aggressions
OF Fascist Italy on their territory dur
ing the present war. This council will
deal with day-to-day questions. other
than military operations. and will make
recommendations designed to coordinate
Allied policy with regard to ITALY,"
i Rumors on Capitol Hill.
The foregoing agreement gave the
European Advisory Commission job to
do. Did it make recommendations and
were they ignored? Did the commission
fail to do its job, and does this mean
that high-sounding pledges are being
given to the world only to be lost in a
maze Of commissions that never act?
On Capitol Hill the whispers are be-
ginning to be circulated that Mr.. Roose-
velt was caught mapping and failed to
see to it that the European Advisory
Commission did function Another ru-
NOR is that he by-passed his own COM
mission and dealt personally with these
matters at the top level and that this
is the meaning of the amazing state
ment made by Prime Minister Churchill
in the House Of Commons that he told
Mr.. Roosevelt all about the plans for
| Greece and for Italy and that we
| acquiesced.
In certain circles close to the ad-
ministration all this is vehemently
denied. 1t is stated positively that the
| American Government did not agree
to anything. But it still remains to be
explained why the European Advisory
| Commission didn't function and who
| made a scrap of paper of the above
| quoted agreement reached at Moscow.