Show Admiral Stark Coordinates Allied fleet Efforts By WILLIAM KING lUNG LONDON The UP The spring day eight months ago when Admiral Harold R R. Stark arrived in London London London Lon Lon- don to take over his new duties as commander of United States naval forces in Europe he went directly to his headquarters pitched into the problems of his new command and worked far into the night The start was symbolic for this spoken soft-spoken white-haired white naval officer Through meetings meetings meetings meet meet- ings conferences and man to man talks with high ranking British naval officers he works to keep the admiralty in London and the navy department in Washington closely coordinated This delicate task comes on top of his duties supervising the i il- il 1 organization of ot his widespread widespread widespread wide wide- spread command That isn't all Admiral Stark holds a diplomatic job as well He is United States representative tive live to General Charles de and Fighting France Up at Early Hour No matter how late he works he is up again by 7 a. a m m. m and Is at his headquarters about an hour later The springy walk and glow of health in the face of the year old admiral show th that t he thrives on hours that would send many a younger man manto manto manto to a rest home We had a half holiday Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Tues Tues- day joked one of his personal secretarial staff start We got off at 6 o'clock Admiral Stark lives in a small apartment about three minutes' minutes walk from rom the London square which Englishmen call Little America because of the large number of ot uniformed Americans to be seen there night and day But he would like it better if he lived in the same building with his his' headquarters Th Then n I would feel free to take secret and confidential documents documents documents doc doc- to my rooms to study them there he said recently He walks to his of office ice which is in a large modern building guarded by green uniformed United States marines and plunges immediately into his work work dictating dictating mail and memoranda memoranda memoranda memo memo- randa seeing members of his staff and reading urgent reports which cannot wait walt the quieter evening hours Eats Light Lunch He frequently follows his old Washington habit of ot eating a alight alight light lunch at his desk Just as s soften often however midday finds him with an appointment for a aI al l I luncheon u n c h e eon o n conference These range over a wide field from officers of the admiralty to representatives representatives representatives rep rep- of any of the allied nations with headquarters in London Dinner may also be bethe bethe bethe the occasion of another such meeting These occasions occasions- a concession to English methods are are about the only claim that Admiral Stark allows social life me meto to take on his time When the press of work permits permits permits per per- mits the admiral goes for a a week end to a refuge in the country where he indulges a passion for long walks His only other hobby is sailing in small bolts boats but he has given that up for the duration He now holds the command under which he served 27 years earlier as flag secretary to Admiral Admiral Admiral Ad Ad- miral William F. F Sims in the first World war Starks Stark's London office might be the office of any executive of a large business firm firm except except for the touches that make it typically Stark Behind his comfortable chair are arc the Stars and Stripes and his admirals admiral's flag which is flown from his ship when he is at sea sear Scattered about the room are an imposing collection of autographed photographs President Roosevelt and King George head the list which includes in includes includes in- in Cordell Hull Harry Hopkins Hopkins Hopkins Hop Hop- kins Frank Knox Henry Stimson Stimson Stimson son Admiral Ernest King and General George Marshall Stark received the picture of the king when by royal invitation invitation invitation tion he accompanied the British monarch on an inspection of the home fleet The admiral has gained a reputation reputation reputation rep rep- in London London London-as as he had at home home for for great sincerity and absolute frankness The same attitude he thinks should prevail prevail prevail pre pre- vail in all Anglo-American Anglo re relations re- re lations Must Be Together Of course Britain and America America America Amer Amer- ica will get along together not only because they must but because because because be be- cause it is natural he said We may have our little tiffs but the best of friends have arguments arguments arguments ar ar- ar- ar and their friendship is not harmed when they get things settled It is Important for us to stand together now but it will be even more important for forus forus forus us to stand together after the war That is the point of view I Itry Itry Itry try to put over in my dealings with the British and when I speak to informal gatherings Then he added as he stood by bythe bythe bythe the broad window of his office But we must also remember that everything must be subordinated subordinated subordinated to one central idea Idea to to get ahead with winning the war The office also reveals the admirals admiral's pleasure in discovering a well-turned well phrase which expressed expressed expressed ex ex- ex- ex pressed in a few words his philosophy philosophy philosophy phi phi- or beliefs An egg to today today today to- to day a feather duster tomorrow tomorrow tomor tomor- row Life begins each morn morn- ing When In a hurry wait waita a while There is no substitute for hard work are a few of the favorites on his listIn list In a prominent position on his wall is a color print of Old Glory and written beneath is the legend These colors will not run I particularly like that one the admiral says |