WAR OFFICE IN TWO MINDS

Southland Times, Issue 24889, 31 October 1942, Page 5

WAR OFFICE IN TWO MINDS

Parade In Honour Of Soviet

LONDON, October 29. One of the most interesting behind-the-scenes battles Whitehall has known has raged about the participation of members of the Services in a parade on November 7 to commemorate the anniversary of the establishment of the Soviet Government. Reporting this The Daily Express says that a committee had arranged a big meeting in a London hall after which the Soviet Ambassador, M. Maisky, was to take the salute at a march past. The Coldstream Guards band was to lead the procession in which representative units of the British Services were to march.

The organizers then received a curt letter from a War Office official withdrawing permission for army personnel to participate. Influential persons protested to the Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, Sir Stafford Cripps and the Secretary for War, Sir James Grigg. The War Office explained: “The needs of the Army must come first,” but did not explain why permission had been given and then withdrawn. Another War Office official wrote in more diplomatic terms, but maintaining the ban. More pressure was put on the Government to override the ban and a big row in Parliament loomed up. The Government thereupon reversed the War Office ban and now the band and ’ Army personnel will take part in the march. The committee includes the Archbishop of Canterbury, interdenominational church leaders, members of the Trades Union Congress,. Mr Lloyd George and two Conservative members of Parliament. Four thousand organizations are participating. SECOND FRONT CONTROVERSY The military commentator of the New York newspaper P.M. says that M. Stalin and Soviet officials have always realized that Britain and the United States were not committed to opening a second front in Continental Europe in 1942, but they have not corrected the impression widely held by the Russian people that the Allied leaders made such a promise. A high ranking official in Washington in a position to know the feelings and temper of the Russian people has cleared up most of the confusion, and misunderstanding with a lucid picture of what the Russian people want. First and foremost, they want a second front in Europe. Even a smashing success in Egypt will not be enough unless it leads to a continental invasion possibly by way of Italy. M. Stalin accepted Mr Churchill’s explanation of why a second front is at present impossible, but most of the Russian people believe that inaction is due to British errors in over-estimating German strength in France and the Low Countries. The official declared that Mr Churchill’s visit to Russia considerably lessened British and Russian tension. A most encouraging note in the statement by this important figure is his declaration of confidence that the Russian people will continue to resist the Nazi invaders, that Stalingrad will hold through the winter, and that the Germans will not capture either the Grozny or Baku oilfields. The Washington corerspondent of The New York Daily News reports that President Roosevelt has officially refused Mrs Roosevelt permission to visit Russia on the conclusion of her trip to England on the grounds that anything she might say there would be regarded as a Presidential commitment.