The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-17
German Legions Still
 Keep Pushing Ahead
Continued from Page l)

| (COntlnue0 enemy pressure against the city.
 On the Black Sea, the Germans said they had taken the big port of Odessa, which was reported in flames and greatly damaged by dynamiting in line with Russia's scorched earth policy. The Moscow radio said that street fighting was still in progress in Odessa and that the city had not fallen, despite sacrifice of huge German and Ru- manian forces.
 These developments had a direct bearing on the Japanese cabinet crisis. Emperor Hirohito selected Hideki Tojo, former war minister and regarded as comparatively con- servative, to form the new govern ment.
 The exact comp. .xion of Tojo's proposed government was not known but he is regarded as "conserva- tive nationalist" Hirohito's choice was believed to indicate that Japan Is once more postponing, if possible, the fateful showdown day when she must cast her lot either with the tripartite partners or Britain and the United States.
 While Tojo represents the army and the army is the most extreme fire-eating faction in Japan, Tojo is considered among the more noder- ate of army leaders. It was thought that his premiership might exert a moderating influence on the army hotheads anxious for warlike adven- lures in both the south and north Pacific regardless of complications with the United States.
 Seeks Navy Support
 The emperor conferred with Ad- miral Koshiro Oikawa, navy minis- ter in the Konoye government, prob- ably to obtain navy support for To- jo.
 Tn Shanghai, London and Wash- lngton Tojo's selection came as at least a partial relief. Shanghai sources said that Tojo has been quoted as saying that the European war may last 30 years.
 Because of the expected length of the war Tojo was said to feel that Japan should move most cautiously and avoid involvement if possible. He is not regarded as a great friend of Germany. It is expected that he will be subject to the strongest kind of NaN pressure to strike blow for the Axis tri-partnership but Shang- hai sources doubted that he would move except for purely Japanese considerations.
 Such considerations, 1t was sug- gested, may now lead to Japanese move into Thailand. That was re- garded as more likely than a move against Siberia due to imminent winter and the still considerable strength of Russian forces in the Far East.
 Radio Berne was heard in London reporting @ Bangkok broadcast in which Thailanders were warned to prepare for ali eventualities" in view of the imminent crisis.
 London felt Tojo might end talks with the United States and come to a more speedy decision for Japanese war or peace. The London Times wondered whether selection of an army man meant Japan was pre- pared to risk war with the United States.
 Tn Canberra, the Australian Pre- mier John Curtin said that cabinet was prepared with measures to com bat Japanese aggression if Japan Launched aggressive acts.
 Regarding Moscow there was an actual dearth of specific informa- ton.
 The German high command .ast no light on the situation, saying only that operations are proceeding according to plan with the Luft- waffle making heavy attacks on Len- ingrad, Moscow and ships eVacu- ating Soviet troops from Odessa. six of these ships totalling 30,000 tons were sunk, it was claimed, and eight of them damaged.
 Access From East
 Nazi spokesmen offered little more information beyond the suggestion that Nazi flanking arms from Kal- min to the north and Kaluga to the south now probably had reach ed the Moscow parallel or gone be- yond it, making access to the capi- tai possible only from the east.
 London admitted that the Ger mans appear to be going forward slowly on Moscow. The Soviet Me- tropolis was virtually an armed camp. Diplomats and many govern ment departments had evacuated east, probably to Kazan, on the Volga some 450 miles away.
 There was no direct word from Moscow. Moscow radio stations were heard broadcasiing the usual eommuniques and dispatches from the big newspapers Izvestia and Pravda but there had been no il- rect communication from the United Press staff correspondents in the Soviet Capital for "A hours.
 The big Nazi offensive was in It's 18th day. The only official Russian word was in the daily communique. heard on the Moscow radio station, which merely said that fighting was