Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-04-03
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS REVIEW

Continued from Page u
had to take since the outbreak of
the present war.
Military Front.
1t wasn't so good for the prestige
of the axis group to have to admit
that it had been so terribly humili-
ated at a moment when a triumph
had just been accomplished
Nor was it stimulating to axis pres
tige to be told that the Italian armies
in Africa had suffered new defeats
at the hands of the British troops.
They had practically conquered the
greater part of Libya; they had
! driven out the fascists from Italian
and British Somaliland, and now they
were making very significant prog
ress in their attempt to rid Eritrea
of Italians for the city of Cheren,
last obstruction before Asmara, Fri
treas capital, is reached, had to sur
render to the British That was bad
for the Italians, and for the axis
generally.
Just as bad was the Italian
loss of the city of Harrar close
to the railroad line between
DjibOuti and Adds Abbaba, Ethi-
Opia's capital, and since Harrar
was captured, the British have
won still more victories that seem
to strengthen the belief in the
ability of both Ethiopians and
British to release Halle Selassie's
domain from the fascist grip.
So, automatically and militarily
speaking, it has been a rather tough
week for the axis powers.
| Ships Sunk.
Then there was the naval situation.
That did not brighten the dark axis
picture, for somewhere in the Medi-
terranean-near Crete-British forces
sunk or damaged seriously seven or
eight Italian war vessels. What
makes that particularly bad is the
fact that Italy does not now have
much that she can afford to lose. One
of the vessels damaged was very
modern 35,000-ton battleship, also
three cruisers and four destroyers
were sunk by British airplanes and
warships. All of it proved a new
severe blow to Mussolini.
Altogether, he and Hitler have not
been able to find anything very en-
couraging in the most recent events.
MatSuOka'S Trip.
What made it particularly exasper-
ating was the fact that Japan's for
eign minister, Yosuke Matsuoka, now
is in Rome to complete his observa-
tons of the strength and the glory
of the axis powers
He arrived in the Italian capital
on Monday in an apparent effort
to gauge the importance of Mus
sOlini's government in connection
with moving Japan, politically
and militarily, closer to Ger
many and Italy. Nothing but
news of defeats and disasters
awaited him at the Eternal City.
Matsuoka was in Berlin when the
Yugoslav rising took place, and
while there he received the reports
of the Italian setbacks in Africa; on
the train between Berlin and Rome
he was informed about the losses
which the British had inflicted on the
Italian navy.
In Moscow where Matsuoka ar
rived on March %, he was told about
the situation and the prospects of
the Soviet republics in connection
with the war. What was told him,
was not revealed. But apparently it
was expected of him that he find
out about the present and potential
strength of Germany and Italy, and
when he-homeward-bo for To-
kyo-arrives at Moscow again on
April 16 he may have things to re-
port to Stain that will decide whether
or not Russia will sign up with the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES alliance.
The European trip of the japanese
foreign minister is one which may
or may not-portend great events.