The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-13
War Moves On Today's Board
Ry !. w. T. MASON

| NOAhWCu kVOo Vv0A ASARSAD Increasing seriousness of the Ital- ian defeat in North Africa is shown by today,s announcement in Rome that the fighting has extended to Sollum, on the Egyptian side of the Libyan border. London's report of the capture of several thousand more Italians means that the Brit ish mechanical units are pressing forward toward Libya with the ap- parent intention of driving the Ital- fans back into their own territory.
 There are indications that the irn- mediate objective of the British drive is to continue to pound against the Italian right flank. This maneuver is designed to prevent the Italians spreading southward, into the desert, keeping them as much as possible near the Mediterranean coast, within range. of British naval guns M
 It is probable that these tactics are largely responsible for the great number of Italian prisoners. Caught in the coastal trap, the Italians cannot reply to the fire from the British warships and seem unable to break through the British lines to the Southward
 British Success
 The eventual magnitude of the British success will depend on the extent to which the British Medi- terranean fleet Is able to continue the severance of communications between Libya and Italy's home supply bases. If Libya can be per- rnanently cut of from Italy, fol- lowing the present British victory, a disaster of the first magnitude will overtake Signor Mussolini,s anl- bitions in Africa.
 Isolation of Libya is the principal objective of British strategy, in as- sociation with the expulsion of the Italian forces from Egypt. This purpose is responsible for circula- ton of reports that il duce even- tually may be compelled to risk 8 major naval engagement in the Mediterranean, although his fleet is less powerful than the British.
 If the Italians refuse an engage ment at sea and if the British can continue to keep Libya bottled up, the surrender of the Libyan army would become within the realm of probabilities, provided the war con- tinued far into next year. To what extent Libya has reserves of sup- plies is not known, but probably not for more than six months if the present scale of fighting continues, especially since the British capture of material Is said to be large.
 Principal Port
 Libya's principal port for receiv- ing home supplies is Benghazi, on the western coast of the Cyrenaica district of Libya. Benghazi is nearly 800 miles across the Mediterranean from Italy and only 300 miles from Inc new British naval base in Crete.
 The operations of the British fleet, therefore, require shorter radius of action than the Italian for keeping Benghazi under the hazard of attack. This fact has now become gravely important for the Italians and 1t is difficult to see how there can be much optimism at Rome regarding the Italian chances for regaining the offensive in North Africa.
 Today, Rome reports sand storms at Benghazi which seriously inter- fered with the movement of sup- plies to the Egyptian front. Beng hazi is 300 miles west of the pres ent area of combat and even under the most advantageous conditions, 1t would be difficult to move mater ial quickly to the battle front be- cause the roads are inferior.
 With sand storms interrupting Italy's land communications, the power of Italian resistance must be weakened for the present. The Brit ish do not seem to have encounter cd interruption to their supply sys- tenn to any such extent, giving them an important advantage in pressing onward.
 Nevertheless. the Italians ought to show better defensive qualities as the fighting approaches the Lihyan border because teh hilly terrain af- fogds them good protection. If tehy cannot halt the British ad- vance under this favorable condi- ton, 1t will be due to lack of gen- eralship and neglect of advance preparation for just such conditions as now face them.
 There is 10 basis for the ~iion