Evening star., 1940-06-28
Guns
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S0BhS
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ons, and they are fairly vulnerable
to attack, clumsy to maneuver.
In Holland, I know that out of
one group Of about four dozen such
planes, only one managed to land
safely; the rest were shot down, or
cracked UP ON soft ground.
Ready to Pay Heavily.
But Hitler has taken all that into
consideration. He cold-bloodedly
allows for enormous casualties. He
has planes-and men-to spare.
Meanwhile, continental air bases
have been established at Aalborg,
IN Denmark; at Schipol, in Holland,
and at dozens of fields strung out
between Ghent and Brest which
were wrecked by bombs during the
battles of Flanders and France, but
have been easily repaired by Hit
ler's labor battalions.
In the Baltic, Bergen and Sta
vanger provide excellent bases for
naval and air attacks on the Firth
of Forth, Glasgow and the Scottish
industrial district, to be followed by
landing parties.
And in Ireland, off England's west
coast. Hitler is counting on the CO.
operation Of the I. R. A. Grish Re-
publican Army)-an actively func-
tioning fifth column of menacing
proportions-which, if not actually
utilized in raids across the Irish
Sea, could certainly be called upon
to supply and provision German
planes and submarines (as the ex-
tremist Falangists have been doing
in SPAIN.
Bombing Program.
That would take care Of practi-
cally all England's seaboard and
would make it possible, through a
successful blockade, virtually to
paralyze her whole industrial life.
And through it all would be the
fierce, unrelenting, concentrated
bombing Of all English forts, har-
bors, munitions plants and indus
trial centers.
Once Hitler had gained a foot
hold on the English coast, he would
undertake to land guns and tanks
again with terrific losses, but on the
theory that he can afford to lose
80 per cent if he can get 10 per
cent ashore. And then he would be
ready for the big onslaught.
This is no blueprint for an English
invasion conceived in my own mind
after witnessing the Nazi conquests
of the Low Countries and France.
have just come from Lisbon, in
Portugal-the last lung of a Europe
in the final stages of consumption by
totalarianism. the last country to re-
tain even vestige of independence
the only country where American
ships can land and the country
whence the Clippers take off for the
U. S. A.
Suspicious Tourists
Yet Portugal, too, is full of Ger
man tourists" One meets a sur
prising number of old friends OF
enemies In Portugal these days. The
Germans and the pro-Nazis like to
boast to political opponents and tc
newspapermen whom they dislike
about their plans.
speak on the authority OF
sources apparently in close touch
with high German quarters-and
those predictions during the last
year have proved all too true. But
with his guns in place, his trans
ports waiting, his bombers poised
why doesn't Hitler strike?
The chances that he within
mediately or in the very near future
are as good as 4-to-1. Neverthe-
less, the last few weeks have altered
the picture of international politics
to such an extent that Hitler may
Cor may not be forced to change
his timetable.
Fear of Russia.
With France at the mercy of the
dictators, an increased rivalry be-
tween Germany and Italy has be-
come apparent, in the course OF
recent events, to careful observers
Mussolini has started dreaming OF
a Latin union of Italy, France and
Spain. And the idea Of revival
of the old Roman empire doesn't
appeal to Hitler at all. Hence
growing manifestations of this
rivalry in the Iberian Peninsula.
Even if Hitler, for the time being
must let Mussolini play the con-
queror and master in the Mediter-
ranean, the more eagerly Mussolini
presses his plans for this Latin
union the more reluctant Hitler will
be to undertake an immediate at
tack on Britain. For there is a
strong feeling in some German
quarters that If Britain is destroyed
with it will be destroyed a powerful
counterpoise against Italian in
duence.
Russia's attitude, too, has beer
causing considerable concern in Ber.
lin Of late, because, though Russian
occupation of the Baltic countrie.
was foreseen in the Nazi-Soviel
pact, Germany knows that such 4
move, though temporarily a defenss
measure, is really directed agains
her.
Copyright. 1910. Chicago Daily News, Inc