Evening star., 1940-04-10
Battles Off NORWAY
Won't Decide Victor
In the War
But They May Determine
Whether Allies Can
Give Immediate Aid
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE,
Associated Press FOREIGN Writer.

Associated Press Foreien Writer.
Just by way of showing the
orange light of caution, one is in,
PEELED to say that until the smoke
OF the naval engagement of the
Norwegian coast lifts to give us de-
tails of what is now a mystery
battle We shall do well to sit tight
and not rock our own boat with
excited speculation.
All we know of certainty is
that allied and German naval and
air units are, or have been, in con-
flict on an angry sea. It would ap-
pear that for the first time in his
tory warships have been supported
by squadrons of bombing and fight
ing planes.
If we could say that the entire
British grand fleet and the whole
German Navy were engaged ip one
colossal conflict, then we should be
able to suggest that disaster might
lurk in the storm clouds for one side
or the other.
It is improbable, however, that
forces of such magnitude have been
involved. This naval engagement
isn't going to end the war.
Immediate Aid Is Question.
What we can see is that upon the
outcome of this battle, or series of
battles, depends to large degree
whether the Allies will be able to
give Norway immediate assistance in
the way of landing expeditionary
troops.
And it must be added that even
If the Allied naval contingents are
completely successful, the Anglo
French brotherhood face a formida-
BILE task in that the Germans already
are in occupation of Norway in
considerable numbers. 1t would be
e heroic job for landing force to
fight its way ashore in the face
of such opposition.
Germany's coup in occupying Nor
way and Denmark is likely to have
q far-reaching moral effect and it
might even mean another change in
Europe's kaleidoscope map, but from
the present military standpoint there
actually hasn't been much shifting
OF weight.
If we assume for the sake of
argument that the NaZiS will be
able to maintain their positions for
the time being (and that is a rea-
sonable assumption), then they have
made considerable gain at the ex-
pense of the English and French.
There is. however, certainly nothing
catastrophe about the affair or
even approaching the decisive-ex-
cepting from the standpoints of un-
happy Norway and Denmark.
Subject to Qualifications.
That is to say, the relative status
of the belligerents remains about
the same. This statement naturally
is subject to qualifications if the
naval battles produce a tremendous
upset.
OF course, if we want to look ahead
to the end of the war and create
the hypothetical situation of vic
torious Germany anneXing the two
countries which 1t has just occupied.
we have an entirely different pic
ture. A Nazidom swollen by the
addition of Norway and Denmark
and maybe lot more-would repre-
sent a tremendous new force in
world affairs.
However, Herr Hitler hasn't won
the war, and moreover he has de-
clared that he has no intention Of
annexing his two neighbors. There
we might better let the matter rest
although not overlooking that even
the Fuehrer has been known to
change his mind
It would seem to me that If Hitler
is successful in maintaining his po-
sition in the occupied countries, his
chief military gain will rest in the
fact that he will have prevented
Norway from joining the allies and
thus establishing northern front
against Germany.
Gains Largely Defensive.
Hitler's gain is largely defensive.
True, he acquires new submarine
and air bases, but they present no
striking advantage at this juncture
from the standpoint of offense.
Control of Norway also gives Hit
Ter control of Sweden without the
necessity of attempting occupation
Of that country. This, and his
Danish acquisition, further provides
naval and air bases for the defense
of Scandinavia and to keep the
I allied navy out of the Skaggerak
gateway between the North Sea
and the Baltic-to the south of
Norway and opposite the southern
end of Sweden
Economically, the Germans do
very we'll for themselves. Continu-
alton of shipments Of the vital