Eisenhower's Adjutants
The import of the Atlantic Treaty Organisation appointments announced by General Eisenhower on Wednesday -is not to be grasped without careful study. It may be noted, to begin with, that nothing is said of the slightly contentious appointment of Admiral Fechteler to be Supreme Commander North Atlantic, the reason being that Admiral Fechteler is in no sense subordinate to General Eisenhower, but holds a command—which happens to consist mainly of water—co-ordinate with his. General Eisen- hower is now Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. and with Field Marshal Montgomery and Air Chief Marshal Sir George Saunders as two of his three deputies, and Admiral Sir Patrick Brind commanding one of the three areas (North) into which Western Europe is for these purposes divided, it cannot reason- ably be contended that Great Britain is being deprived of her fair share of the principal appointments. There is. however, one key position, the naval command in the Mediterranean, about which discussions are presumably still in progress. The assump- tion that this would go to the American Admiral Carney has been challenged, on the ground that the Mediterranean is the key of our communications with the East, and it is essential that a British admiral should hold the command there. That will no doubt soon be settled. When it is, all the chief positions in the Western Defence Force will have been filled. That is satisfactory, but wars are won by divisions, not by red tabs, and there would be much greater reason for satisfaction if more of the minimum of twenty-five divisions needed—a very low minimum—were in sight. Spanish troops are understood to be on offer, and it would be extremely foolish not to accept them, as soon as equip- ment is available, on no better ground than ideological prejudice. Spain is essential to the defence of Western Europe.
