Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-08-22
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW
Continued from Page y

the British say that practically no
damage was done, they evidently
also eXaggerate-the other way.
There could, however, be no doubt
that first-class bombing war was
started a few days ago, and has been
continued at an increasingly furious
rate.
But the British have not lost
courage; they are keeping up
their bOmbardment of German
military positions, of ports and
arSenalS in German-O coupled
countries, and of industrial CEN
tiers in Italy.
The problem right now is: Will
fewer but better machines and pilots
prove superior to more and poorer
machines and men? Will the British
Royal Air Force, numerically in
ferior to that of Germany, be able
to defend England effectively, or will
sheer mass win the war?
That, too, is question which even
keen observers are unable to answer
today.
African Setback.
That England is very hard pressed,
no one knowing anything about the
situation can possibly deny. And
what has made matters worse is that
the British have suffered bad set
back in Somaliland where the Ital-
ians have driven them from position
to position.
There was early this week serious
danger that the Italians might sue
coed in their efforts to close the
Alden entrance to the Red Sea, and
thus the Suez Canal, and should that
objective be reached, the so-called
British lifeline through the Medit-
teranean would be cut. 1t is pre-
mature to say that it will be, but the
danger exists.
An important feature of the in
ternational situation is the fact
that the British are fighting two
enemies on two widely separated
fronts.
The conflict has developed to {
| pOlilt WllClS lllC lCll -1CillSo Ia itioi
navy for the moment is of secondary
importance; a fact which certainl,
does increase the danger to Old Eng
land.
New Complications.
AS though the Anglo-German-Ital
ian war were not enough, new com
plications have arisen in southeastern
: Europe where Russia seems to b.
about to enter the fray.
A couple of days ago it was said
on the basis of the mysterious sink
ing of small Greek war vessel, tina
war might break out between
Greece and Italy.
There were indications that
i, such a clash might be of SUI
preme interest to the Soviet
Union which, in case of an actual
y ItalO- Greek war, might choose to
align itself with Italy-inferen-
TALLY, also with Germany, and
harass Greece. The Athens gov
eminent, sensing acute danger,
s. called up its reserves for Tues
day of this week, and while this
was not interpreted as mObiliza-
ton, it was something pretty
close to it.
Any such conflict would con-
ceivably involve Turkey and, pos
sibly, Rumania, perhaps even
Bulgaria and YugOslavia at a
. little later date.
L. S. and the War.
h While Europe kept on seething, tn
|. United States had a war probler
i on hand. A few days ago the Amer
Y lean navy transport vessel, "Amer
= lean Legion" left PetSamo in north
f ernmost Finland with almost min
hundred passengers aboard, mostl
American citizens who want to &c
away from. War-stricken norther
Europe. Ordinarily the America
y Legion" would traverse route tax
!, ing it between Iceland and Green
- land, but since it was impossible t
obtain provisions for the voyage a
Petsamo, it was imperative that tn
vessel be sent via the shortest route
i, That means through English
sea territory now under the ban
, of the German blockade, and
Berlin made it clear that should
r anything unpleasant happen to
I the American vessel, the German
government most certainly could
not be held respOnsible-a view
point which the Washington gov
6 eminent has refused to recOg-
q nize.
"AmOunts to an Alliance"