Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-22
u: :. Observer Sees
Slight Chance for
Quick End Of War
Gen. Strong Reports
British Resistance
To Nuzis Strong

There is not much hope for q
quick conclusion to the European
War, according to Brig. Gen. George
v. Strong, member of the specia.
commission which yesterday re-
ported to the War Department its
findings during a months observa-
ton in England.
Gen. Strong, assistant chief Of
staff in charge of war plans, tolc
reporters that it will be Ions
draWn-out struggle, resulting either
in the obliteration of Nazi influence
in Europe, or destruction of the
British Empire.
Basically the British morale is
high, he declared, and the people
are solidly back of Prime Minister
Churchill. The English people are
cheerful. he added, but grimly de-
termined to see the war through"
Want Moral Support.
Gen. Strong added that in his
opinion the British do not want
man power from this country.
They want our moral support,
he said. In addition, he said obvi-
ously they want all the munitions
they can get which are not manu-
featured in the Empire. He pointed
out the British. of course, are de-
pendent on the Empire for perSonne
and munitions. This production he
added, is being augmented at a great
rate through increased production
in this country.
Gen. Strong and other members
OF the commission left by airplane
last Wednesday. They arrived in
New York yesterday and lmme
dlately flew to Washington. Other
commission members were Mai. Gen
Delos c. Emmons, chief of general
headquarters air force, and Col
Carl Spatz. chief of the air corp
planning division.
Gen. Strong reported that German
air raids caused no destruction of
military objectives. He said the
constant bombing could be called a
minor irritation and that further
than a loss OF sleep and disrup-
ton OF transportation facilities the
BRUSH had sustained little harm.
Saw Nine Large Fires.
He said that from his London
hotel window one night last week he
saw nine large fires. However, he
added that it did not seem that mill
tary obJectlveS were in the damaged
zone.
Gen. Strong commented that the
Royal Air Force is stronger in man
power than at any time heretofore.
He added the production of pilots
is keeping abreast the production of
planes.
In this connection he said the
British were for American planes,
particularly our medium bombers
and light training ships.
He said his observations led him
to believe the British fighting air
force was superior to that in oper-
alton by Germany. AS an illustra-
ton, he said, he saw three British
pursuit planes attack 80 German
bombers over London. He said the
bombers scattered in great confusion
like chickens attacked by a hawk.
British Flyers Superior.
Man for man the British air force
Is superior to the German" the gen.
eral went on. He thought the Ger
man pilots were machine made
whereas the British were superior
IN that they were highly developed
individuals"
He said German pilots viewed air
fighting as job, whereas the British
went into engagements as a sport
The British Royal Air Force has high
enthusiasm to do battle. Gen. Strong
said, while the Germans had little
taste for war.
Gen. Strong remarked that Ger
man invasion from now on could be
done only with an appalling loss of
life. He said the Germans would
get the surprise of their lives"
German air losses from anti-air-
craft gun fire have become increas-
lngly large, Gen. Strong said. He
added that the anti-aircraft had
accounted for from three to five per
cent of German losses.
Dive Bombers Stopped.
The American observer said the
British balloon barrages have stop
ped German dive bombers COM
pletely. In view of the ground de-
lenses now functioning, he thought
1T suicidal for the Stukas to try to
operate. Nowadays, he declared. bet
ter anti-aircraft weapons have forced
the Germans to ceiling of 10000
feet or more.
The war plans chief said in some
British quarters concern was ex-