Evening star., 1941-06-24

to the new turn OF events. 1uouSIl
disliking Communism and Stains
dictatorship, the United States &C
cepts the thesis that whoever fights
Hitler in this war is on one side
and that anybody who condones
what Hitler is doing is on the other
side.
The question of military or naval
help to the Russians under the
lease-lend bill is likely to remain
academic for some time to come be-
cause the United States is largely
interested in aiding Britain, and
whatever London decides to do with
war materials is something for which
the British do not have to make eX-
plantations. The BritonS are fight
ing this war and the United States
Is merely supplying the tools.
Surveying the effects of the Rus
sian entry into the war, there are
certin tangible gains for the British
side as viewed here, and some gains
for the United States. These are
summarized in Washington as fol-
lows:
l. The Nazi air force must divide
its strength between two fronts, and
this enables the British to destroy
lines of communication and indus
trial centers on the western front
In France as the Russians absorb
the Nazis' attention on the eastern
front.
2. The Japanese cannot assume an
aggressive course toward America
at this time. They cannot know al
what moment Russia may switch her
policy and actively aid the Chinese.
Japan's policy of neutrality means
the American Fleet can operate in
the Atlantic without worrying too
much about developments in the
vicinity of the Netherlands Indies.
Desperate Gamble.
3. The disturbing elements in the
American labor union movement
which have been called cleft wing"
and Communistic will be forced into
the open now. The prevailing view
here is that the Communists have
been a shield or cover for Nazi op-
erations. If they are not, Americas
labor troubles will be diminished.
If they are, there will be little
change on the labor front. In any
event, the situation will be clarified.
4. Those isolationists who have
believed Hitler would never bother
with the United States because he
will have his hands full with Russia
and with other European problems
are now face to face with the fact
that Hitler is never too absorbed to
take on any risk and that he plays
a desperate gamble at all times.
There can be no denying the fact
that the entry of the Soviet Union
into the war against Hitler makes
It difficult for the democracleS to
handle the question of ideology.
Hitler, however, is never bothered by
inconsistencies. Whenever it suits
his military purpose to add or sub
tract a nation from his side he does
no boldly. The United States Gov
ernment has already spoken-the
defeat of Hitler is the prime OBJ
tective.
The revelation of how Russia has
been quietly irritating the Nazis and
giving questionable cooperation to
Berlin indicates that Hitler needs
war materials and food for a long
war and now feels he must have
them even at the cost of being ac-
eused before all the world Of turning
on a partner with whom he signed a
10-year non-aggreSsion pact.
Views differ in Washington as to
the quality of the Russian military
machine. The preponderance of
opinion is on the pessimistic side, 1t
being argued that the recent purge
of military officers left the Red
Army weak. Other sources, however,
declare that Stain has been build
ing up a sizable air force since the
days when Mr.. Lindbergh came back
from Moscow and declared the Rus
sian aviation inefficient and made
ouate for major power.
Communism Doomed?
The Russian airdromes are built
far inland. The Soviets have some
bombers which were built in the
United States before the war broke
out. These are of the long-range
variety and it may be that Stain
planned on long-range weapons be-
cause he intended to locate his prln-
cipal airdromes far within his owr
borders.
It seems inconceivable to most