ALLIES & RUSSIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1943, Page 3

ALLIES & RUSSIA

TOLERANCE & UNDERSTANDING a, URGED BY MR WILLKIE. DEMAND FOR SECOND FRONT. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, March 9. “No one in America wants to doublecross Russia now or in the future,’ said Mr Wendell Willkie, replying to the Vice-President, Mr Wallace, and to Admiral Stanley, American Ambasasdor to Russia. (In an address reported yesterday Mr Wallace had said: “A third world war appears inevitable unless the western democracies and Russia reach a satisfactory understanding before the present conflict ends.” War would be certain if Prussia was permitted to rearm, either materially or psychologically, and war was probable if the democracies double-crossed Russia.) Mr Willkie continued: “The Russians are fully aware of the American aid, but they feel they are bearing the brunt of the war, aqd, measured, in casualties, that is true. We are sending supplies in increasing qualities, and perhaps we are entitled to more credit than we are receiving, but the Russians have naturally regarded the loss of their own young men as more important than materials. “The Russians have long believed .that we should relieve the pressure by opening a second front, and they consider it would be the best military strategy. Our military authorities have thought otherwise, and only history will decide which is correct. “In the meantime, tolerance in understanding Russia’s viewpoint and rational statements about America’s attitude after the war will help.” Speaking about Allied convoys to Russia, Colonel Knox, Secretary of the Navy, today said that the convoys had been getting through with fewer losses. ESSENTIAL TO SECURITY .CO-OPERATION WITH RUSSIA. LONDON, March 10. “The Times” in a leading article, says: “European security depends on joint continuous British and Russian vigilance. If either remains aloft or reverts to isolationism, the domination of Europe by Germany becomes inevitable. Russia as well as Germany was excluded from the last peace settlement. There can be ho excuse for advocating a repetition of this cardinal blunder. “To suppose that Britian and America, with the aid of some lesser Euro-. pean Powers, could maintain permanent security in Europe through a policy which alienated Russia would be midsummer madness. Two essential tasks must engage British diplomacy. The first is the development of the spirit of growing confidence between Britain and Russia, which requires ungrudging and unqualified agreement between them on future conditions of security in Europe. The other 1 task is to interpret to the United States Britain’s and Russia’s common interest in European security and the means of attaining it.