Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22, 1947 “MONTY” IN MOSCOW

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 76, 22 January 1947, Page 4

Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22, 1947 “MONTY” IN MOSCOW

FIELD-MARSHALL Lord Montgomery is back home from his visit to Moscow, which, by all accounts, was a great success. It was a happy thought on the part of Britain’s most distinguished soldier, the victor of Alamein, North Africa, and the Normandy campaign, to take the initiative and go to Russia to see the chiefs of the Red Army while the Western allies, Britain and America, were preparing the assault from the South and West. This was the first meeting of the East and West in the persons of their leading commanders in the field. In the actual course of the war the geography of circumstances, as Lord Montgomery explained in a talk to military students at the Frunze Academy, kept the armies of the East and West apart and prevented the close relationship of British and American troops, thrown together in Africa, Italy and France, from extending to their comrades of the Red Army. To the end Germany stood between. But the British Field-Marshal let it be understood clearly that Russia was welcome to join in any military arrangement between Britain and America. This is stated on good authority by the Moscow correspondent of the Associated Press. In any event Lord Montgomery made a very good impres sion on the Soviet High Command in Moscow. So much is manifest from the attention paid the visit by the leading Russian newspapers. But it would be unwise to expect too mUch politically from the visit. The Field-Marshal is essentially a soldier and not a politician, and he was meeting soldiers in the course of friendly gatherings where no doubt they would swap experiences and talk “shop,” discussing tactics ..and strategy, methods of winning battles and conducting campaigns. The visitor himself was careful to leave no doubt that the purpose of his visit did not extend beyond its published aim, namely, to make contact with the Soviet army and discuss military matters and problems with the Soviet commanders as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. But within this scope much might be, and probably was, accomplished, in the creation of goodwill and good feeling. The acceptance by Marshal Vasilevsky, and other members of the Russian High Command, of an invitation to visit Britain is an earnest that such relations will continue. This is an important step towards breaking down the socalled “irop, curtain” between Russia and the West-. Mr Vishinsky put it well when he said, at the British Embassy dinner at Moscow, that it was better to have differences brought into the open because it resulted in better feelings afterwards. So far as the British people and their representatives are concerned, Marshall Vasilevsky and his comrades are sure of a warm welcome when they come to England in the spring. If Field-Marshall Montgomery has done a good job for peace on behalf of Britain, General Marshall, the great organiser of American arms in World War 11, and now successor to Mr Byrnes as Secretary of State, may, it is hoped, do equally good work for the other member of the Big Three, the United States of America. It is true that General Marshall did not succeed in his mission of bringing peace to divided China, but it is doubtful whether anybody could have done better. As United States Secretary of State, General Marshall will be present at the coming conference in Moscow in March to settle the peace treaties with Germany and Austria. He will there have the opportunity, no doubt, of meeting the Soviet military heads, but not in the informal and unofficial capacity of a mere soldier like Lord Montgomery. It was this character that lent the British soldier’s mission its value. But General Marshall has a reputation as not only a great soldier, but also a great organiser and a statesman and diplomatist of gifts. There is nothing more to be desired in the present world unrest than a good understanding between the three great Powers, America, Russia and Britain. If that could be reached, general settlement of a variety of outstanding problems, in which Britain especially is concerned, would become much more amenable to peaceful solution and the world outlook would be correspondingly improved. Towards this objective the Montgomery visit to Moscow has opened a new and favourable prospect.