Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-12-19
Mediterranean Compromise

Designation of Britain's Admiral Mount
batten as commander of all but the American
portion of the allied naval forces in the Medi-
terranean is a compromise designed to end
long controversy, between London and Wash
ington.
AS compromise it contains the potential
weaknesses of most such solutions but there
are concrete virtues in the decision as made
The end of controversy and ndecision is the first
and greatest advance. In terms of naval power,
the United States and Britain form the backbone
of the NATO defense organization and an in
definite continuance of their differences over
the Mediterranean command was certain to be
damaging in many respects. Both France and
Italy have logical and historical interests in
protection of the Mediterranean and the fact
of their two major NATO partners squabblng
over command supremacy was neither reassuring
nor helpful to the prestige of the alliance in that
area Under the new arrangement Admiral
Mountbatten will have French and Italian units
as we'll as Greek and Turkish components, joined
with the British Mediterranean fleet. The
primary responsibility of this combination will be
to keep open the sea lanes between Europe and
Africa, and onward to the Middle and Far East
The American fleet the most powerful single unit
IN the Mediterranean, will continue under Ad-
miral Carney
miral Carney will be under the direct authority
of the SHAPE commander, General Rdgway, it
is obvious that close iaison in planning and
operations will be essential between the two
For this requirement no better British and
American representatives could be found
Mountbatten, once the youngest captain in the
British Navy, had a distinguished career in
World War II-frst a fighting naval officer,
later as chief of the Commands, and finally as
Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia
In the latter post he had British, American, In
dian, Burmese, African and Chinese units under
his command and his skill as a leader of multi
national forces was proved Admiral Carney,
serving most of World War II in the Pacific was
chief of staff during many operations that in
cluded British as we'll as American naval forces
and he later received the Order of the British
Empire for these services Throughout the recent
Mediterranean command dispute it has been
made clear by the London government that its
position was not based upon objection to Admiral
Carney as an individual but rather on a convic-
ton that Brtain's traditional role as a Medi-
terranean naval power warranted more than
secondary place in the command structure.
The current political instability in the Middle
East and the failure thus far to establish solid
defense organization for this area gives added
Importance to allied naval power in the Medi-
terranean. Russia, even before the Soviet regime.
has had aspirations for both land and sea con-
quests in that area and its penetration into the
Mediterranean would expose the whole southern
flank of Europe. The allied naval forces, includ-
ing alrcraft-carrier strength, provide powerful
deterrent to such threat today and there is
good reason to believe that the Carney-Mount-
batten team will keep those vital waters well
guarded