Evening star., 1940-05-12

sions that fighting is going on along
the Albert Canal, the Mas (Meuse)
and on the Ardennes front.
Indeed, if the Albert Canal is the
scene of fighting, this would con-
firm German claims of having
crossed the Mas IN the Dutch
province of Limburg, though not
necessarily, their further claim to
have captured the Albert Canal
bridges farther west. The Germans
also state that one of the forts de-
Tending Liege is in their hands, but
the Importance of this, even if true,
is minimized by the announcement
that a captain and lieutenant have
been decorated for the achievement.
This would seem to indicate that it
was matter of company or two,
and, in consequence, that the fort
was no more than the objective of
a small force, a pill box or small
redoubt. Moreover, the defenses of
Liege are far wider spread than in
the last war, so that a frontier pill
box might be described as belong
ing thereto.
Belgians Better Armed.
We should, therefore. not hastily
assume that one of the great forts
of the main ceinture of Liege has
fallen. This is set forth here in such
detail as an example of the care
with which all available information
has to be sifted in search of the few
kernels of truth which may thereby
be brought to light.
However, as far as their main land
forces are concerned, the Germans
do appear to be striking most heav-
lily in this Maastricht-Liege sector,
where the Belgian delaying position
along the Albert Canal joins the
heavily fortified line of the Meuse.
Success here would outflank both
the main Belgian defense Ines-the
canal and the Meuse-and open the
interior of the country to German
penetration, just as the fall of Liege
opened the way for the German
hosts in 1914.
In contrast with 1914, it may be
said that the Belgian defenses are
much more formidable, and the Bel
gian Army much better trained,
armed and organized than it was
then. On the other hand, the Ger
mans have the advantage of their
air force to aid them in their often
sive efforts. Probably the issue will
depend very largely on the swift and
effective arrival of allied aid, both
on land and in the air. The Ger
mans will do all they can to delay
this by the use of their planes, and
by air-landed detachments, but they
will meet far more effective air op-
position than they did in Norway,
for example.
As to the Netherlands, the north
ern part of that country appears
largely open to German attack, but
Is in itself not strategical objective
worth much effort. Farther south,
in the province of Utrecht, where
the main Dutch water-line defenses
center, there are reports Of inunda-
tions being carried out, but as yet
no confirmation from eyewitness
statements. 1t may be assumed that
efforts of German parachutists and
fifth column" men would be di-
rected toward attacking, and the
Dutch counter efforts toward de-
Tending, the key points (notably
AmersforD controlling the inunda-
ton plan. 1t is perhaps significant
that there are no reports as yet
from Amersfort or Utrecht. This
remains to be seen.
Dutch Hold to Airports.
Other German efforts with air.
plane-carried and parachuting in
fantry into the Netherlands have
been directed toward the seizure of
the Dutch airports, both to hamper
Dutch aviation in countering the
German air force and to prevent
the swift arrival and effective opera
ton of allied air aid. The lesson
which Norway taught the Germans
of the complete dependence of a
modern air force on effectively To-
Gated bases is here being vigorously
applied. Another unanswered ques-
ton is the amount of damage which
the Germans contrived to do to the
ground installations of the Dutch
air bases, both by the action of
their parachutists and by bombing.
On the whole the reaction of the
Dutch defense forces appears to
have been so swift and vigorous
that there is ground for believing
that there are air bases available
for the use of allied planes in con-
siderable numbers. The repeated
bombings in and around Amsterdam
are probably aimed at injuring the
great air base at Schiephol, which
does not appear to have been seized
by parachutists-probably because
1t was too securely defended.
Other parachutists are reported
as dropping in great numbers at
various points between the Central
Rivers and the Belgian frontier, and
the Germans in Rotterdam, though
reported driven from the air base,
are fighting in the streets and build
ings of the city and are receiving
reinforcements by air. This is, of
course, desperate business and in
dicates German determination to
isolate the Netherlands from all
hope Of outside aid, just as with
Norway, until the German armies
can advance and overcome Dutch
resistance.
The German armies are much
closer and in greater available
strength than in Norway, nor are
they dependent on precarious sea-
and-air line of communications. On
the other hand they are opposed by
a Dutch Army far more formidable
than that of Norway, by no means
cisorganized or disarmed by seiz-
ure of its main arsenals and mill
tary centers and capable of being