Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-07-13
Observations From
Various War Fronts

A fierce sea battle on the north At
rican coast between British and French
warships until a few weeks ago
has wrecked the French fleet and
cheated the dictators' attempts to wreSt
mastery Of the seas from Great Brit
ain.
In the naval battle, fought at the
French Algerian naval base of Oran
with heavy loss of French life, seven
of Frances crack warShipS we're sunk
or badly damaged by the British guns.
At least 217 other French naval units,
including three battleships and the
worlds largest submarine, have been
seized In British ports and at Alex
andria, Egypt, on the eastern Mediter-
ranean.
1t is difficult to see clearly beyond
the carnage and destruction which still
hang over Europe, but a permanent
severance of the bonds of alliance
which have held France and England
together so long would be bound to
have a far-reaching repercusSion on
the political situation in postwar days.
For many years. the Anglo-French
brotherhood has been dominant in
European affairs. We shall have to
what the fates have in store for that
combination.
The Petain government was reported
to have warned that British warShipS
or planes would be attacked If they
approach within 20 miles of the French
coast. The report was sent from Vichy,
France.
The first air raids Of the war were
u T,.s4A 4~k- IS
Gibraltar, the western key to the Medi-
terranean.
A Madrid radio broadcast heard IN
London asserted that it had been "es-
tabliShed" that the raiding planes were
French. British sources would not COM
ment.
1t was reported in Algeciras that a
French armed vessel escaped from Glib
raltar despite the presence there OF
the most powerful of all warshipS, the
mighty British battle cruiser Hood.
A British news agency quoted a Swiss
newspaper correspondent in Rome as
saying that plans for an offensive
against England we're discussed at the
recent Berlin meeting of Adolf Hitler
and italian Foreign Minister Count
Ciano.
The Rome correspondent for the
BaSler Nachrtchten was
quoted as saying Ireland would be the
first objective in any attack on the
British isles.
Canadian press dispatches said many
observers in England do not expect
Germany to make any immediate move
toward invasion, and added whether
invasion IS attempted at all Is pure
guess work"
Soviet Russia poured additional
armed divisions into Rumania's lost
northern territories to strengthen mo-
torized troops which completed the
occupation Of BeSSarabia and northern
Bucontva. Germany was represented In
iron guard circles rs being
opposed to any extremist measures
which might provoke internal disorder
and tnjure Rumania's productivity for
Germany In this crucial war year.
whether war or peace lies ahead,
sources estimated the
United States national defense bill viii
run to more than $1,000, 900, 900 annual
ly from now on and good deal more
than that for the next seven years.
In the period just ahead, the pro
jected two-ocean navy with its 81,
DOC, OO0, 900 expansion of the fleet, Is to
be under construction and the army
Is to be buying planes, tanks, guns
and other equipment in huge quantt-
ties, as well as increasing it's personnel
to q total strength of 375 900 men. With
the army and navy fully equipped,
it was said, there viii be q mainte-
nance cost OF as much as 81 300, 00O,O 600
annually for the navy and $3.50, 000, 900
for the army.
On top Of these OUTLAWS, a third
set of locks for the Panama canal
has been authorized and such proposals
rs a second canal through Nicaragua
and compulsory military training are
pending.
The new order which Herr Hitler
projects for Europe after he has elm
mated Britain from the picture Che
hopes) provides for nad politico-
economic domination. England would
be eliminated from participation IN
continental affairs, both economic and
political
Observers generally expect that If
Germany wins the war such countries
as the nazi fuehrer doesn't want TO |
annex outright, or make protectorateS,
win be compelled TO come into q Gus
.oms union which to all intents and
purposes viii make them dependencies
Il 1ne reich.
Tne German word for customs
1ni0n" Is "zollVerean" It means an
agreement by q number OF states re-
yerdfnR tariffs, either among them
elves or against the rest Of the world /
Theoretically a state within q Gus
;wu union retains It's political mde- |
aeaaG@nce Practically, however, such |
asrAnn may enable a powerful nation /
3 eomlroI the entire economic life o.