The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-11
| War Moves On Today's Board
BY J. w. T. MASON Limited Press War Expert

Italy's first offensive movement against the Allies, of any import ance, may be expected to take the form of air and submarine opera. tions. Italy supposedly has the largest fleet of undersea craft of any European power, and while her air corps is second class the Allies are not at present in position to concentrate large numbers of com. bat planes along the Italian from tier or in the Mediterranean. At the same time Mussolini's principal objective must be the French army which has taken position along the new Alpine front. Until he meets his mountain foe, all other opera tions will be secondary.
 It was shrewd strategy for Mus solini to decide to concentrate his forces against France and not en- gage in immediate large scale move ments to expand his African empire. He has not made the initial mistake of dividing his strength. The fate of the African possessions of the belligerents will be determined on the European battlefields, for 1t is in Europe that the war will be won Or lost and the terms of the en- suing peace conference will be writ ten. Mussolini's strategy calls for the complete defeat of France as its primary objective. He should, therefore, strike with all his power against the Alpine defenses which 50 powerfully guard the French frontier.
 Difficult Problem
 The problem before him is diff cult and demands; above all, a quick decision. Mountain warfare involv- ing mechanized troops and heavy artillery calls for exceptional use of petrol under modern conditions. ftaly's local supply is limited to So,- 900 tons yearly from Albania. The war against the Allies will probably call for more than that amount weekly.
 How Italy can continue to get this quantity of the war is prolonged may become Mussolini's greatest problem overshadowing the addi- tional problem of the value of Italian military prowess. Germany can spare none and is drawing on Ru- mania for all the Rumanians can export. The Allies are able to cut off supplies by sea. Italy's war may be described as a race of time against petrol, not to mention other essential raw materials which Mus solini will be unable to import. A quick offensive on large ccale, therefore, has become essential for Italy if Mussolini expects to play an important part in the outcome of the war.
 Paris . Fortress
 On the northern French front the evacuation of Paris shows the Al- lies intend to make Paris Q fortress, as part of their defense line. The problem nov facing Weygand is the gravest he has had to meet. It con- cerns the pace of his retreat. He is now calculating that the inten- sity of the German drive will have to diminish this week. If that happens his army will be safe. But, if the Germans encirclement move ment develops sudden speed, es- pecially to the east where the Ger mans are pushing toward the Marne river, the Allied forces may find their retreat exit to the south has become too narrow for Q complete retirement.
 General Weygand's estimate that the battlefront will become stabil- fred due to German exhaustion would mean . stalemate. The com- bat in northern France then would revert to conditions similar tc those of the World War. London's an- nouncement that a corps of war correspondents has been assigned to the British forces now moving to France implies this new army is of considerable strength and is to be rapidly augmented. On that fact weygand's hopes are principally bass9.
 Y0UN0s TO HAWAII
 Instead Of trip through Alaskan
 4.-. |.M MA M.. MM.H