Evening star., 1941-07-06

fenSive seems to be making its main
effort on its left, possibly with the
hope of rolling the Russian left
flank back against the Black Sea,
possibly with the hope of co-operat-
ing with the forces in White Russia
to surround and destroy the Rus
sian center.
In BesSarabia the Russians appear
to be retiring from the Prut TO the
Dniester, probably to avoid being
outfianked On the Finnish front
thereare reports that MurmanSk has
already been taken and there is
fighting on the Karelian Isthmus
which may develop into a two
pronged attack on Leningrad in CO.
operation with the forces from the
Baltic states
Thus we see developing a classic
German battle of penetration and
double development. with two main
army groups (aS in the Polish war;
cooperating with lesser forces on
the flankS. The Germans are now
fighting in the outskirts of the Rus
sian defensive zone known as the
Stain Line, and have bitten deeply
into 1t at one point.
The value of this defensive posi-
ton ought not to be exaggerated:
its successful defense will depend
very largely on the number and
quality of the mobile forces which
are available for counterattack at
decisive moments. and on the skill
and facilities which the Russian
staff may possess for their employ
ment.
The Germans have been slowed
down, but not stopped; We do not
know what the price may be at
which the Russians have purchased
the time they have gained. One
thing. however, seems very clear
that like al modern battles the
question of air superiority will be
of enormous importance in this one
Effective Aid to Russia.
When we talk of aid to Russia,
we really mean that keeping the
Russians fighting will relieve pres
sure in the west by occupying large
forces of German troops and air
| planes. as was the case in the last
war and it should be clear that the
most effective aid that can be given
Russia now is so to hammer the
| Germans in the west that they will
be compelled to reduce their eastern
air force and thue be unable to eX-
plot to the full extent the air su-
periority which they seem to have
/ gained in that area.
1t will be recalled that just be-
/ fore the decisive struggle of the
Marine, the Russian inroadS in East
/ Prussia forced the German general
staff to transfer two army corps
| and cavalry division from the
western to the eastern front. These
troops, which might have been
| decisive on the Marine, were actually
| in transit when the battle of Tan
nenberg was fought, ending the
Russian threat in the east. Whether
| the present German high command
will have more intestinal fortitude
at a moment when an outraged
populance may commence clamoring
for relief from the increasing scale
of British air offensiveS in the
west, remains to be seen, but that
fortitude ought surely to be tested
to the uttermost limit in the hope
of compelling the Germans to re-
peat their 1914 error this time in
the air
This is only another facet of the
magnificent opportunity which the
Russian war has unfolded before the
democracies of the west, an oppor-
tunity whose full exploitation de-
mands the immediate and vigorous
! action of the people of the United
States. 1t will not last forever, nor,
once lost, will it recur.
! Copyright, 1941, New York Tribune, Inc.)