Evening star., 1941-10-16

J0r CONTENDER IN THIS war.
First of all, word comes that the
Russian government has no nten-
ton of evacuating Moscow and that
the defense of the city will be as
staunch as has been the operation
in and around Leningrad, which
several weeks ago was declared to
be in peril.
The gravity Of the whole situa-
ton is not being in any sense min
imized in official quarters but the
popular impression that a critical
battle is being fought which if sue
cessful for the Nazis, will mean
the elimination of Russia, is not
borne out by the attitude of those
who are best informed in Govern
ment quarters.
1t Is known that the Russians
have prepared defenses east of Mos
COW and that they have arranged
for considerable production behind
the Urals.
United States Rushes Aid.
The significant thing is that the
Russians consider the present a life
or death struggle and that there
Isn't any mention of separate peace
as even a remote contingency. That
Is one reason why the United States
Government is preparing to redou-
bic its energies and to send what
ever materials are available to the
Russians
The cooperation between the
Russian and American governments
Is very intimate Whatever the
Russians have asked for that Amer
lea can supply in hurry has been
delivered or is en- route.
just how the bulk of the Ameri-
can shipments are going is not be-
ing revealed but it would not be
surprising If with the effective
American naval and aerial patrol.
the expectation of products to Rus
sa across the Atlantic is being sue
cessfully accomplished.
Hitler was right when he said
the key to the outcome of this war
rs transport. He must have meant
by sea as well as by land. Up to
now, the Nazis have felt confident
that they could blockade American
shipments by means of intensive
air and submarine attack. The
American policy of shooting at sight
has helped the dispatch of Ship
ments across the Atlantic, so that
sinkings have been cut down ma
terially. Transportation by land Is
Germany's problem, however, as
much as 1T is Russias. AS the
Royal Air Force gets more and
more help from American airplane
factories, the chances Of destroying
German depots and railroad sys-
TENS will be increased.
Air Raids Bolster Morale.
AS long as the Russians know
that the British air forces will
harass the Germans in the west
and perhaps later will be able to
launch new air attacks from Arctic
ports in Russia, there will be en-
couragement to the morale of the
defenders.
What the average observer has
been led to believe by the German
press reports is that the capture of
few Russian cities will eliminate
Russia from the war. Actually, the
occupation of large areas will not
affect the continued determination
of the Russians to maintain a bat
tlefront and they know now
that Britain and America will fur
nish needed supplies in unlimited
amounts provided transportation
routes can be developed
The important point to be re-
n1embered is that the American
Government has not altered it's
policy in the slightest on account
Of the Nazi military successes.
Important also to be remembered
Is that German losses have been
colossal and that if the Russian
bear isn't eliminated-as presently
will be apparent to the German
people-discouragement over the
prolonged nature of the war may
become a contributing factor to the
ultimate breakdown in morale. In
1912, when counteroffensives and
bigger air attacks on Germany may
be expected, the presence of large
Nazi army of occupation subject