Evening star., 1946-11-08
3U. ). Warships
To Visit Greek,
Turkish Ports
Navy CoIIs Move
Incidental to
| Training Program
BY the Associofed Press

United States warships, maxi
ing their third excursion into the
politically troubled waters of the
Eastern Mediterranean, will visit
both Turkish and Greek ports in
the next few weeks.
The Navy announced today that
arrangements have been completed
by the State Department for United
States naval forces now in the
Mediterranean, or en- route there, to
make visits to various ports incident
to training exercises during the
latter part Of November and early
December"
1t was learned that both Secretary
of State Byrnes and Undersecretary
Dean Acheson had approved the
cruise
State Department officials. how
ever could shed no light on why
they gave the warships the green
light to make calls virtually in the
back yard of the Soviet Union only
few days after the department had
asked the Army to postpone a
projected round-the- world fight by
a feet of B-29 Superfort bombers.
Byrnes Held Opposing Flight.
/ Although it never has been off,
cially acknowledged that the State
Department caused postponement Of
the B-29 venture, officials close to
Mr.. Byrnes said he was opposed to
the flight at this time. partially be-
cause he was afraid it might be
interpreted by Russia and other
nations as sword rattling"
Today's Navy announcement said
the G-000-ton aircraft carrier RAN
dolph. the light cruiser Fargo and
the destroyer Perry will put in at
the Turkish ports of Izmir and Mar
maras. Izmir, at the eastern end Of
the Mediterranean, was formerly
named Smyrna From the Turkish
harbors the ship will 60 to Beirut,
Lebanon and then turn northwest
ward to visit Piraeus, Greece.
Both Turkey and Greece currents
| ly hold international attention.
Turkey because of her Dardanelles
dispute with Russia and Greece be-
cause of the small-scale civil war in
i her northern area near the Yugo-
slavian border. .....
ForrestaPs Statement Recalled.
! Although the announcement re-
/ ferred to the visits as being Incl
dent to training exercises" the Sep
tember 80 statement by Secretary Of
Navy Forrestal was recalled.
4 At that time, the Cabinet men,
Der said United States Navy forces
were being maintained in the East
ern Atlantic and Mediterranean for
two specific purposes: To support
Allied occupation forces and the Al
lied Military Government; to pro-
tect United States interests and to
support United States policies in
the area"
Contrasting the official approval
for the warship cruise with the cold
shoulder turned to the round-the-
world flight, State Department Of
fcials noted privately that the Navy
had cleared its plans with MIR.
Byrnes before announcing them,
whereas Assistant Secretary of War
w. Stuart Symington surprised re-
porters and diplomats by telling a
news conference that the Army
would carry out the B-29 flight if
the State Department gave the nod.
These officials added, however. it
is a good bet that the Army Air
Forces will go through with the
Superfort fight at later date, with
as little advance publicity as pos
sible, and without publicly seeking
formal go-ahead from the State
Department.
One reason for this. it was said.
is that the State Department could
scarcely afford to risk possible ac-
cusations of favoring one of the
armed services over another as an
instrument of national policy.