Evening star., 1941-11-21
British Libyan Drive
Good Second Best
As Aid for Reds
Offensive Is Declared
Not Too Lute to Be
Of Help to Russians
Nv A. r. STEELE.


Chicago Daily News.
KUIBYSHEV Nov. 81. - The
British offensive in Africa comedies
with the renewal of intense German
pressure on the outer defenses OF
Moscow and on Rostov- -on-DOn.
The Russians would be happier If
the British had acted weeks ago,
when their operations would have
had a more decisive bearing on the
Russo-German war. They would be
much happier if the British had
chosen the European continent, in
stead of Africa, as the theater OF
their offensive Nevertheless. the
Libyan campaign is good second
best
The British. at last, are doing
something And thanks to the pro-
traction of effective Soviet resistance
far beyond the period calculated by
the German militarists, the new
British move does not come too late
to do Russia some good.
The words of the Soviet spokes-
man a fortnight ago apply as well
today:
Anything that hurts Germany
helps us
New Task for Luftwaffe.
Whether the reawakening of the
African front will force such a dl-
version OF Italo-German troops and
land armament to the Medlter-
ranean as seriously to weaken Ger
man pressure on Russia is still an
open question. But observers here
are confident that the effect on
Axis air, operations will be con-
siderable
Even before the British began
their Libyan campaign there were
ample signs that the Luftwaffe was
stretched out almost to its limits.
That the African war. in the alb
sence of effective Axis control of
the Mediterranean. will obllge the
Axis to draw heavily on aviation
to meet the British threat to its
Libyan foothold, is foreeone con-
clusion. This is welcome fact to
the harassed but reSolute Russians.
News of the British African push
had arrived too late in the evening
for inclusion in Thursday morning S
Soviet press. but the newspapers
for the third day straight made
reference to Anglo-Soviet relations
Three days ago the comments Of
. British member of Parliament,
Britt, on the reactionary attitude
Of certain British politicians toward
the Soviet Union. were published
fully Yesterday. without comment.
the press printed dispatch from
Geneva quoting an official German
announcement on the British failure
to effect any large-scale air opera
tons in Europe.
Landings Discussed.
K. Hoffman. Soviet commentator
now lengthily discusses a program
of landings on the basis of Premier
Joseph V. Stains assertion on No
vemher that another front must
appear on the European continent
in the nearest future
Pointing out that even the Ger
mans admit the occurrence of two
small descents invasions from sea-
along the Axis coastline, Hoffman
continues:
These deScents were symbolic in
character, but they showed the Fas-
eists that the British feet dominates
the sea. and large descents will fol-
low the small ones at the oppor-
tune moment. In reality the whole
European coast. from the remotest
north to the south. is quite accessi-
ble for landings not only from the
air but by sea. The collaboration
already established on all oceans
and seas between the fleets OF Great
Britain and the United States. and
the increasing aid the United States
Is giving Britain and the Soviet
Union. will to great extent help to
carry out this task.
Nazis Frustrated by Soviet.
"All the calculations of the Ger
man command are based on the as
sumption that Germany will con-
tanue to defeat its opponents one
b. one. But the stubborn and in
ereasing resistance Of the Red Army
has frustrated the plans Of the
German command.
Contrary to Adolf Hitlers plans.
the war in the east has become
prolonged. The Germans are obliged
to conduct it under the severe con-
ditions OF the Russian winter. All
that exhausts the strength Of the
German army And when a second
front appears on the continent
and that, as Stain said must un-
ouestionablv appear in the nearest
future-then Germany. weakened
IS a result of its war with the So
Wet Union. will be obliged to fight
on two fronts. This is sad pros
pect for the Nazis.'
Copyright 1871. By Chicago Daily News