Evening star., 1939-10-23
Fear Of Bomb Raids
Is Seen Preventing
Fierce Air War
British Do Not Lack
German Objeetives
Within Easy Ronge
BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER,
Noted Military Expert.

' S/ sNS'SS
BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER,
Noted Military Expert.
Are the allies to make this strange
and battling war waiting war in
tn eair as we'll as on land? The
British air command seems to have
reversed its original policy.
Before single bomber had ap-
peared over the British coast, not
only had the British airmen dropped
propaganda leaflets over Germany
in flights which must have been also
valuable for reconnaissance, but
they took the initiative by bombing
the German naval base of Wilhelms-
haven, with what the Germans re-
ported were abortive results, in de-
nial of the British claim of having
seriously damaged pocket" bat
tleshlp. The British followed this
up with raid on the key fortress
island of Helgoland at the German
gateway of the North Sea.
In the face of the German threat
Of overwhelming air power which
would blast British munitions plants,
naval bases, and even cities into
ruins. the British attacks served no
tice that Britain also had planes and
would strike first, carrying "the war
into the enemy's country"
Had Early Advance.
In their initial attacks, the Brit
ish had the advantage in that the
German bombers were busy in Po-
land The British raids, which were
not in large force-not more than
a dozen planes, matching the small
numbers in the German raids over
Scotland-may have had the same
object as Gen. Gamelin's skilfully
cautious, nibbling advance to strip
of German soil.
British bombers could not fly
across Germany, or the French
Army undertake to fight its way
through the German Siegfried line
to aid the Poles in their distress.
Both did their best in demonstra-
tions to encourage the Poles to keep
up their resistance until Poland was
past help.
But why, after the German air
raids over the British cruisers in the
Firth of Forth and British battle
ships in Scapa Flow, have the
British undertaken no air reprisals?
Why the disregard of the old maxim
Of two can play this game" which
meets attack with counter-attack?
Air Bases Not Far Away.
The British airmen do not lack
vital German objectives within
easy bombing range. 1t is only 300
miles from air bases in England to
the German naval bases of Will
helshaven and Kiel. The German
surface fleet is too inferior to be
threat to the British fleet; but. at
Wilhelmshaven, not only the new
German battleships are building in
the immense shipyards, but also
more submarines to reinforce those
which have the sinking of British
merchant ships, the battleship Royal
Oak and the aircraft carrier Cour-
ageous to their credit.
Some of the scattered German
aircraft factories are certainly
within reach. So is Essen, the great
munition works. though it must be
studied with anti-aircraft batteries.
So. too, many smaller arms fac
tories
But to drop bombs on Wilhelm
shaven, and particularly on Essen,
is bound to endanger civil popula-
tions, which would give Adolf Hit
Ter his warrant for bombing open
cities.
Meager Civil Population.
Hitler runs little risk of causing
civilian casualties in raids on the
firth and Scapa Flow In the
broad firth, the cruisers lie off
Rosyth, which is strictly a naval
base. There is very meager civil
population around Scapa Flow.
Thus far, day after day, hu-
manity has known the fresh relief
over the yet-unfllled prophecy that,
In war Of major air powers. we
should see the horrors suffered by
civilians in Spain and China many
times multiplied.
The ring is restricted to the
gladiators themselves, with a cer-
tain knightly gallantry. Air casual
ties have been few. German avia-
tors of crippled ships af1oat in lit
tie rubber boats are received with
solicitious attention ashore by the
British, and the British aviators
spread Nazi flag over the coffin
of dead enemy and buried him
with military honors.
The British policy is apparently
concentrated to defend their fleet
IN siege, their anti-aircraft guns
ready, their fighting planes in pa
troll of the air in defense against
the approach of enemy bombers.
Air Power Mighty Threat.
Air power remains the mighty
threat, as though both sides were q
little fearful of its poentialities when
unloosed, So it is on the western
front, where one great army is in
seige against the other. The allies
wait for the attack probably in con-
f1dence that time is in their favor,
once their own overseas plane pro-
duction reaches its peak.
Even Turkey waits holding her
frontier and the Dardanelles. The
$500 100000 she received from the
allies for arms and other purposes is
good money, while Germany, with
her credit bad, rejoiced in receiving
$4,000 in gold from Russia. The
allies have the funds to buy arms.
Hitler can hardly fail to make good
his threat of mass air attacks against
the British Navy. If that fails and
in desperation he bombs open cities,
the allied peoples, in bitter mood
will demand reprisals in kind. Then
there will be little choice between
soldiers and civilians as targets