Evening star., 1940-05-06
Stowe
Continued From First Page.)

now almost as gravely menaced as
It was at the height Of the U-boat
effectiveness in 1917. If the West
ern powers lose Narvik, Germany
will have transformed the North
Atlantic, with its far-flung mari
time routes, into a gigantic siege.
BY maintaining their hold on Mar
vik the Germans would CONSOLE
date their control of the entire
Norwegian coast and would rapidly
occupy Hammerfest, the worlds
northernmost town, at the extreme
Arctic tip of Norway. With both
Narvik and Hammerfest in German
hands, it is generally believed that
an efficient allied blockade of the
Far Northern waters would become
almost impossible. !
It would then be simple matter
for cargo ships loaded with vital
raw materials to slip up from
Greenland and around Iceland, and
then play hide and seek along the
great ice barriers until safely inside
Northern Norwegian coastal waters.
In these vast seas a few German
submarines could probably nullify
the watchdog efforts of large Anglo
French naval forces which would
be immobilized in that area.
Meanwhile the Germans would
have taken over Spitzbergen, with
its coal mines, just as they have al
ready appropriated major portion
of last years bumper production OF
nearly 100000 barrels of Norwegian
whale oil. OF far greater signifi-
canoe than Spitzbergen coal. how
ever is Narvik's winter outlet for
Swedish iron ore.
Outcome Of War at Stake.
Thus. for a number of reasons,
both the German and the allied
stake in Narvik is so great that 1t
promises to bear very considerably
on the final outcome OF the war.
This explains why Hitler Is reported
to have given orders that Germany
must control all Of Northern Norway
and that Narvik must not be sacr1-
feed at any cost.
Everything seems to point to q
prolonged and bitter struggle for
Narvik, even though the allies have
annihilated the German destroyers
which guarded the Vest Fjord en-
frances until recently. Acting with
characteristic vigor and dispatch,
the Germans are understood to have
created an airfield near Narvlk'
Even If this report should be ex-
aggerated, 1t is certain they can use
ice fields for aerial operations for
some weeks yet.
The exact strength of opposing
German and allied forces now hght-
ing around Narvik Is not known
The Germans are believed to nave
landed about 1000 men there orig
tnally. and these troops have prob
ably been augmented considerably
since then. According to last re-
ports. the Anglo-French attacking
forces may range from 5000 to TO-
900 men. It is not known whether
the allied troops which were taken
o,,t of Namsos last week have been
taken home or shipped northward
to the vicinity of Bodoe or Narvik.
Test for Airplane Carriers.
In any case, German control OF
coastal waters from Oslo Fjord al
the way up to Trondheim no longer
seems seriously threatened-espe-
cially since cargo boats along the
coast can be increasingly protected
bv Nazi airplanes. Now the allied
war vessels will be compelled to run
serious risks If they are to support
Anelo-F French land forces near Mar
yik. It would also appear that air
plane carriers belonging to theil
fleet will have to justify their ex-
istence as never before. For hun
dreds Of Nazi bombers Will certainly
be used with fierce intensity both
against allied land and sea unit
around Narvik.
It is difacult to see how the allies
can content themselves with any
half hearted attempt to seize ant
hold Narvik. Unless they make Z
clean sweep there the Germans vii
hold the winter outlet for Swedish
ore and will soon be able to cracl
wide open the Anglo French block
ade In the North Atlantic. Under
s,,ch circumstances the allied re.
versal in Norway would assume suct
rronortions as to threaten ultimate
disaster. Despite this threat, tn.
3ernans appear to have all the ad.
vantares and very good chance O.
holding Narvik and beating OF tn,
Anrlo-French attacks.
ecopyrisht lo40. Chicago Daily News. Inc.
More than $4,000 school childre,
IA South Africa were given free mil
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