In London they*re calling it - the worst kept secret. The rumor broke nine days ago, and reports have been insistent ever since. And it Is now disclosed that newspapermen in London were tipped off by a prominent British political figure, who told them to watch for one of the biggest stories of the war. So no wonder the British are saying - the worst kept secret. Indeed, we word permitted to get out. This - with the ‘.ntention of mailing the _^is people nervuus, particularly Japan. Yet there was plenty of secrecy - and still is. Where f - was the place of meetii:i^^ London has had a lot of rumors. One report had the Presid^t and Prime Minister conferring in Bermuda. Another placed them in Greenland. T^.'day we are told that they met w W A on the ocean — merely that, no specific place mentioned. From A have some speculation from Loadv^n that there /as a deliberate leak - London we have the phrase — '*Only the calm blue seas encircled them.” How many attended the meetiiig? Roosevelt and Churchill - we iinow, How man„ others? \ A large nu.jber, we are told. London states that Prime Minister Churchill was accompanied by a party of twenty—three. And the Washington supposition is that President MEETII^u -8 Roosevelt had with him a considerable group of anmy and Mavy officials. i 'I Was Harry Hoprvias there? W'e are not told, but word from Churchill was accompanied by President Roosevelt*s emissary to A Eur6p^ to-bt implied in a British statement that the meeting of the President and Prime Minister was an American I ii suggestion - transmitted by Har.y Hopkins. ■i We know that Lord Beverbrook was there. The presence of A ! ii Churchill* s powerful Lieutenant was o‘fficially stated, and the word conti:uued that he would go on to Washington - for further conferences. (y And here*s the latest on the subject of Beverbrook - he arrived at i ! Washington this afternoon. He came by plane — aboard a bomber that had British markings. So air transportation played a part in the historic meeting, though we don*t know whether Churchill and the British group went ) d by ship or by plane to meet the President and his party at sea. 'On what vessel did they foregather? We don*t know,) but probably a warship and not the Presidential yacht, Potomac. That craft is small, with accomiUibdations for only eight guests. We are told that Roosevelt and Churchill were in contact for three il r r meeting -5 days, and had several meetings. There is no detailed picture of the event on the ocean. Where are the President and Prime Minister nov/? The only statement that we have is one from London. It says “They are now outside any pov;er of the enemy to harm them". Pos^-ibly meaning that Churchill is already back in Britain and the President in American waters. Anyv/ay, it's a hint of British apprehension that the Nazis might have tried to do something to interfere with r I 1 % TF the meeting. Hence the precautions IB of concealment. Even after today's official disclosure, there's still plenty of sevrecy in the jj case of that worst-kept sevret London is comparing it .vith those familiar axis conferences - between the two dictators. Hitler and Mussolini. The meeting at Brenner pass with the blaring of trumpets, propaganda, publicity. motion picture cameras, and the rest of it. The Roosevelt, Churchill ,et-together was so different — and so much more important. London hails It as an event of world importance, which wilx make those dictator meetings staged by the axis powers look like two-cent bugling on a cracked tin horn. 1 . add MKLTIiJG The eight point prograjn for peace is a milestone along the troubled road this world is traveling. It pledges the government of the United States and Great Britain to effect a peace settlement ( I : that will eliminate Nazi tyranny - destroy it. \ The eight points remind one forcibly of those fourteen points of twenjty-two years ago, when Woodrow Wilson enunciated principles of peace to follow that former great war. Indeed, some of today*s eight points have a close resemblance to six; of the-fourteen points. Others are implied in the Woodrow Wilson program. The first point of the hoosevelt-Churchill plan states that neither Great Britain nor the United States seeks any aggrxuBiiXHagg aggrandizement, territorial or other^ i^either country wants to accoutre anything as a result of the war. That was implied in the fourteen points. Second, the ir^resident and the i"rime iiiinister declare against territorial changes that do lot accord with the wishes of the peoples concerned. That ideal was expressed in the fifth point of the Woodrow Wilson fourteen — the one about self-determination. the ri^ht of small nations to determine what government shall rule 1 add meeting <i them. This is expressed stii^ further in the third point of today*s t\oosevelt-Churchili declarationj^=tfe calxs for self-government to be restorea to nations that have been conqueredy- meaning, of the course, countries Nazis have seized. This is taken to be aimed specially at France, the promise that conquered France shall be rid of the over-lordship of the Nazis. n The fourth point of the eight states that the United btates I and Great Britain will se^k to give all nations access to^rade| 3 and rew material that are needed for economic prosperity. This A l| accords with point three of Woodrow Wilson*s fourteen points, which called for the removal of economic barriers and an equality of trade cunong ail nations The fifth item of today*s program declares for a gHilxkwraZlB collaboaition between nations i.i the econumic field, to secure better labor standards and social security, and that*s expanded by point six Which calls for the security of m nations against aggression. Point seven gives us a vivid reminder of the days of Woodrow Wilson. Of the fourteen points, the second c.alled \ % T add MESTII^G -3 for the freedom of the seas, i^resident i/Vilson expressed it with the phrase, "Absolute freedom of navigation upjn the seas." Today's point seven suggests a peace setuiement that will enable all men to traverse the high seas and oceans without hindrance. tl i:^rominent on Woodrow 'Wilson's scnedule was disarmament - point four cf the fourteen. We find that same aspiration today in the last of the eight points propounded by the President and the Prime Minister. It calls for the- abandonment of the use of force, and nolds that tnat must be accomplished through the disarmament of predatory nations - the aggressors. The Wilson idea was for all countries to disarm, but Koosevelt and Churchill agree that the peace-loving nations should Aeep their weapons for the purpose of stopping attack. This last point of poj.icy enumerated today also calls for an association of nations. These words are used:-"The establishment of a wider and permanent system of general security." j This - to foll 0 w the disarmament of agressors. It reminds us of 'Woodrow Wilson's poiiit fourteen — ih which called for the formation of the League of Nations .-^KC-IOMD AUu TQ iiEETOG Vihat London expects is a permanent tie-up between the United btates and Great Britain, with the United States taking the lead in the establishment of a new world order.^We are told that i^ithin the past six months the average Britisher has come to taink that a continued aliignment of the two English-speaking nations is indispensibie after the war is over. And we have London comment to the effect that the United Stahes will Join v;ith Great Britain in a system for policing the world, to make it - "A better world. " The peace policy decision Kas, of course, the headline result of that highly dramatic meeting between the American President and the British PrimerMinister. But it was not all transpired A during those three days of confabulation on the ocean. Roosevelt and Churchill likewise discussed plans for furthering the Lend-Lease program - more aid to Britain. Washington promptly chimes Ln with word that there’il be a new ret^uest for Lend-Lease money ~ next week. The President ask for six biltion dollars more — to supplement the seven billion that have already been put up. aid to Britain, and also aid to the Soviets- tiECQND ADD TO ME£Ti.HG 4.1^ M ^ , prominent iney say the Wazi-bovlet war was subject in the Roosevelt—Churchill discussions out on the Atlantic. There's an insistent story that the ^resident aind Prime Minister sent a personally signed letter to btalin, congratulating him on the fight the Red Army is putting up against the Nazi Blitzkrieg. There was even a wild rumor in London to the effect that Btalin was with Roosevelt and Churchill, sat in on the conference aboard ship. You know how rumors will fly. However, the Nazi Soviet war was a 9 prominent topic of discussion. And we hear that one reason why ifiwxlt Lord Beaverbrook has gons on to Washington is to arrange for A ii-merican aid to the Soviets Right in line with this is a Washington dispatch which stated tha^ the first American tanker to carry aviation gas for the use of the Red Army «»• sailing from Los Angeles today. This was announced by defense Oil k Coordinatir Ickes, who said that ninety-five thousand gallons of aviation gas were on their way Three more tankers to follow - four in all. There's a London report that the^onference was held largely because of the possibility of the Soviets being attacked j^Kr.nun ADii.Tn AiRKTirNir. -3 by Japan in tiiVeria. Signs of Japanese menace towards the Red Army have been increasing. For example, we have a bulletin tod^ from Chungkiing, the nationalist capital of China. This states that Tokyo has ordered four mechanized regiments from China to aianchukuo - to the border of Soviet Siberia. London makes the com ment that it was the threatening Tar Eastern situation which drew the President and the Prime (2v4 Minister together at this particular time.^They are said to have decided upon measures for a firm stand against Japan. This would seem to gK have some striking confirmation in a it later bit am of news - from London. / The British Government today embargoed all exporti^aj^o Japan.\ The British board of trade issued an order depriving Tokyo of the right to purchase goods in the British market — save by special export license. London says that this move was made as Quick result of the noosevelt—Cnurchill A meeting - their decision to check Japan 'T s I K REACTIONS In Congress, tne big news of the day was received with mixed emotions, iidministration supporters greeted the Roosevelt- Churchill peace program with cheers, Speaiser tJam Rayburn said the eight points expressed what he described in these words, "a very great and very laudable hope”. Senator Connally, Chairmaxi of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, - ”a noble and magnificent statement A of policy,” The anti-interventioxiists see the matter in a different light. Republican Congressm^ Dewey Short had the xaiiaicwd following to say:- ”some sort of an alliance has been formed. and I don’t like tnese secret under-cover agreements”. Other opponents objected, saying the conference at sea was just another step toward getting us into the war, ”It is tatamourift”, declared Senator MciNarfy of Nevada, ”to a declaration of war by this country, 'rtiich is the province of Congress only,” Some legislators were Inclined to applaud the Roosevelt- Churchill declarations as a move i'or peace. Senator Johnson of I V reactions > £ Colorado said lie was plad the leaders of the two nations had had a Iran to man conference, and that ttfiatTYBiy hnd.Tnndr—t‘h<=> '-toyn6^o of—thelp-dollbepa^iofi^,^ *^The eight points will have a strong idealistic appeal," said he. One interesting source of comment is the xn axis countries. Rome makes the observation that the joint declaration is anotner sign of an alliance between the United Hates and Great Britain. But this will not prevent an axis victory, say the Fascists. Berlin uses the words, "propaganda bluff".The Nazis say they regard the oceanic confabulation as - "unimportant"• ^ Berlin military spokesman issues this significant statement: "We wonder", says ne, 2 b "whether Roosevelt and Churchill made a blunder in choosing this particular moment — or whether the German Army had Luck in completing its victories just at th's time." de was referring to German military bulletins Issued today «=iaer--XB|iiaitBK report^ huge KLitxlcrleg victories in the k. Ukraine - the Red Army in fast retreat, the Panzer columns shatterini r" the opposition and seizing vast areas of Soviet land. The G ermans ' rkactions - claim to be in virtual possession of what is called, ’’the bend of the alH Dnieper”, that great area of the Ukraine which is Doanded Oii the East by a loop which the river forms. It seems iitcely eiiough that today’s Nazi claims of a new and overwhelming victory were tiz timed to co^incide with the announcement of tne meeting of the President and the Prime Minister. The Nazis of course had had rumors of the event, and got today’s news promptly. So the bulletins of wo triumph counter-pzag propaganda. Moscow denies them utterly, and ridicules the claim of blitzkrieg advance in the Ukraine. Tne usual contradiction in these days of so many contradictions A rather grim echo of the Soviet war is heard in London. Today the Director—General of the British home Guard o-dipec-tfor - a scorched earth policy, ippXi^d -in oa^se of a Gorman ~1 fwa-ei-eti % Ihe—nead of the Bomo G uard^ j Lord Bridgeman, made the statement that Britain has learned a lesson from the Soviet tactics of destroying everything in the i paztn path of tne advancing enemy - scorched earth. So if ?! f figACiiMS 3 - 4 Britain Is invaded, that same metjiod of universal ciestructlon will be used. 4 . ' i 1 , '■S 'ii rea VERBROOK Here's a startling detail In a late bulletin — Just In. Lord B6av6rbrook and his stair flaw from England in the company of the British transport plane tliat crashed. That was the accident whicli killed twenty-two pilots employed in ferrying bombers across the ocean. Seven of the fliers were Americans. The British Press Association states that the plan was for the two planes to travel together — Lord Beaverbrook*s and the transport carrying the pilots — but the latter crashed into a British hillside. All lives lost. And after the tragic accident Lord Beaverbrook and his party flew on alone to meet president Roosevelt- And now a word from Hugh concerning the conserve gasoline program announced by Secretary Ickes.