Many details unrevealed by Tehran parley
Congress believed sure to ask for full explanation
By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff writer
Washington (UP) –
The brief and general nature of the Tehran Declaration published today left unrevealed all details regarding the “problems of the future” surveyed by President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Premier Joseph Stalin in their historic Tehran Conference.
Congressional requests for fuller explanation of conference discussions, agreements and commitments – if any – are inevitable. On the face of the declaration, it would appear that the conferees were more concerned with immediate military than future political questions. But from the standpoint of post-wat politics, observers found most significance in the formal commitment of the three conferees to world democracy.
Find common ground
Although the declaration proved to be wholly general, its cordial tenor indicated the three men had found common ground for their joint enterprises.
There was no reference in the declaration to post-war territorial boundaries, notably those of the Soviet Union, and well-informed observers here had not expected that such questions would be dealt with in any major way at the conference. But the declaration did explain that there had been a survey of the future.
There was some surprise here that the declaration did not in some way indicate what political and geographic future a defeated Germany might expect at the hands of the victors. A semi-official Soviet Union proposal of last summer invited the German people to repudiate their masters.
Pledge to oust Nazis
But the President, Prime Minister and Premier all are on record for the annihilation of Nazism and the elimination of its leaders from the life of Europe. There was in the Tehran Declaration no appeal to the German masses to shorten their torment by chucking their leaders.
General satisfaction here with the declaration’s military commitments seemed assured. Congress and the people evidently are reconciled that the opening of a land front in Western Europe is part of that hard bargain. It will be costly in lives but the consensus here is that it will shorten the war.
There was some indication, after the recent Moscow foreign ministers conference, of political and other dissatisfaction with the Soviet Union’s territorial plans in the west. The states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, a part of Finland obtained in the treaty of March 1940, eastern Poland and the Romanian provinces of Bessarabia and Bukovina have been absorbed into the Soviet Union by amendment of the Soviet Constitution.
Landon warning cited
Former Governor Alf M. Landon of Kansas was here last week warning the Republications against endorsing the Moscow Conference agreements without more information, and especially regarding Russian territorial plans in the west.
It is believed, however, that such criticism will be answered by the argument that the United States has no enforceable interests on the continent of Europe at all. The realistic military reaction to questions of Russian boundaries is that there is no way by which the United States could prevent Russia from establishing any boundaries she might desire.
Talks resume in Cairo after Iran sessions
Both Roosevelt, Churchill described as ‘elated’ by Stalin meeting
By Harrison Salisbury, United Press staff writer
Cairo, Egypt –
President Roosevelt, described as elated and confident that the Tehran Conference with Premier Joseph Stalin had shortened the war, began a series of new conferences with Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other leaders immediately upon their return from Iran.
There appeared little doubt that they were following up the Tehran decisions with specific action. The range of discussions among the Allied leaders was as broad as the world.
While the communiqués have failed to mention any specific areas such as Finland, {Poland, the Balkans or the Dardanelles, there was no question that the talks, which are continuing, dealt with such specific areas.
Speculation regarding the nature of possible action centered on the military phase, particularly the statement in the Tehran communiqué about attacks upon Germany from the east, south, and west.
Both the President and Prime Minister were described as “elated” by the Tehran meeting with Marshal Stalin. The President had said months ago that it was his “fondest desire” for a meeting with the Russian leader and now that he had had it he was said to regard it as “very successful.” He was also reported as saying that great progress toward the end of the war had been achieved.