PREMIER’S VISIT TO MOSCOW

Evening Star, Issue 24283, 26 August 1942, Page 5

PREMIER’S VISIT TO MOSCOW

SIDELIGHTS OF LONG FLIGHT

MR CHURCHILL OFTEN AT CONTROLS

(British Official Wireless.)

(Roc. 11.15 a.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 2t>. Some sidelights wore thrown to-day on Mr Churchill’s It,ooo-mile flight m the Liberator by Captain W. J. Van Her Kloot, the first pilot, Jack Rugglos, the second pilot, and Squad-ron-leader Kimbcr, A.E.C.. the navigator. Captain Van Der Kloot, whose home is in California, and whose wile is a Scotswoman, told how Mr Churchill spent two-thirds of his time in the cockpit, and, with one of the pilots, often took over the controls. The longest hop was from Teheran to Moscow, 2,401) miles, flown in 10£ hours. No hostile aircraft were seen throughout the trip. Except for the precious passenger, the flight was uneventful, and the most exciting moment was when they landed in England last night.

One night Mr Churchill arrived on the flight deck at 2.30 a.m. Ho was dressed in a Russian nightcap (which looked like a Chinese mandarin’s), a dressing gown, and carpet slippers. The rest of his attire was very English, even to the ‘‘P.M.” marked on Ins slippers. During some parts of the journey Mr Churchill, like other members of the party/ wore an oxygen mask, but at other times sat back smoking a cigar. The /pilots paid a tribute to Mr Churchill’s knowledge of the technical side and the terminology of flying, adding that he knew all the R.A.IV. slang. In one place, so enthusiastic was the reception that the troops would not let Mr Churchill return to the plane. He took the cigar from his mouth amt flung it over their heads. The troops dived for it, and while the scramble was going on he walked unhampered to the waiting aircraft. President Roosevelt’s personal representative at the Moscow talks, Mr Harrinian, told the London Press today that he was shortly returning to Washington to report to the President. He said that though he could say nothing about the substance of the Moscow talks, he found the same determination and confidence in the Russians as he found on his last visit with Lord Beavcrbrook. “In order

there can be ho misunderstanding, X would like to add that the broad smile which, the photographs of the Prime Minister show in this morning’s Press gives a good and sound indication ot how the discussions went.”

AMONG THE TROOPS IN EGYPT

IMPORTANT CAIRO CONFERENCES

(Rec. 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 25. On his way back to England from Moscow, Mr Churchill again visited the desert to inspect the troops of the Enghth Army, says Reuter’s Cairo correspondent. Accompanied by General Alexander, General Montgomery, and General Brooke, the Prime Minister drove slowly past a long line of massive General Grant tanks. He was then greeted by the New Zealanders He congratulated General Freyberg on the New Zealanders’ vital and gallant part in the battle for Egypt. Mr Churchill also visited British armoured units and infantry. He told a group of sergeants: “ You have got to get your own back on these people. Great events are afoot. Everybody in England is watching now, and all eyes are on you. Good luck!” . x , The Prime Minister motored past dozens of new gunpits and acres of new minefields south of Ruweisat Ridge, where Mr Churchill’s convoy pulled up. Anti-aircraft meii stood in readiness, and watchers swept the sky wi+h field glasses, but the secret was well kept, and no enemv planes appeared. Mr Churchill visited! the New Zealand cemetery, where a few Britons and Germans are also buried. All were recently killed in action. He stood briefly bareheaded, and then entered a Honey tank, in which he travelled over the desert to the edge of the Quattara depression.. While in Cairo Mr Churchill again plunged) into the work of overhauling the great Middle East war machine. He conferred with General Auchinleck, General Alexander, Air Marshal Tedder, General-Maxwell, Prince Mahomet Ah (heir apparent to the’Egyptian throne) , and the Vice-President of the Greek Council of Ministers (M. Canelopoulos). Mr Churchill also gave much attention to Iraq. Sir Kinahan Cornwallis (Ambassador in Bagdad), tbo G.O.G. of the Tenth Army (General Qninan) .and the R.A.F. commander in Iraq (Air Commodore De Cresipigny) came to Cairo for conferences. General Gort also came from Malta. At Teheran Mr Churchill conferred with the Shah en route to Moscow and on his return. WARM TRIBUTE TO NEW ZEALANDERS.

“ You have played a magnificent part,” Mr Churchill said to the New Zealanders, “ ah. inimitable and even a decisive part in stemming a retreat which might have been very serious to the British Empire. There are many eyes on the opposite side of the world fixed upon you, but there are more eyes still fixed upon you in Britain.” Speaking to a Press representative in Cairo, Mr Churchill said he wanted to make it absolutely clear that the British were determined to fight for Egypt and the Nile Valley as if they were the soil of England itself. Everything that could bo brought by ships or air to drive back the enemy would be brought.

NAZI ADMINISTRATION

APPOINTMENT FDR DR THEIRACK

LONDON, August 24. Hitler has appointed Dr Theirack to he president of the People’s Court and Minister of Justice. Dr Theirack has also been appointed president of the Academy for German Law and head of the National Security Law Protection League,

Announcing this, the Berlin radio said that Hitler, by a decree, extended to Dr Theirack special powers for “ powerful administration of the law ” and dissolved the Reich law office of the workers’ Party. Hitler authorised Dr Theirack “to build up in accordance with ray directions a National Socialist system for the administration of justice, and adopt all measures appertaining thereto. Dr Theirack may in so doing deviate from the existing laws.”

‘ The Times ’ diplomatic correspondent says; “ The wording of Hitler’s decree appointing Dr Theirack Minister of Justice suggests that the German rulers are taking the precaution of developing the power of Himmler’s S.S. and Gestapo. Hitler’s announcement on April 25, when he indicated that he was prepared to set aside all laws if it was considered necessary, was not badly received' by most Germans. Hitler’s goal is clearly a State outside all standard law, and ruled by a degraded caste, self-styled the ‘ elite.’ The new' decree is, therefore, a fresh revelation of the evil forces against which the Allies are fighting.”.