Evening star., 1941-09-21

Large British reinforcements and war
material from the United States con-
tinue to flow to the Mediterranean They
are now being landed at Alexandria and
the ports on the Red Sea and the Suez
Canal. Diplomatic activity has become
intensified in France and in the Iberian
Peninsula.
The British are preparing as quickly
as they can to take the wind out of Herr
Hitler's sails by launching an offensive
In North Africa before new Axis forces
are concentrated in that region. British
naval patrols are not only successfully
protecting the long conveys which ply
between the Atlantic and the Mediter-
ranean, but they are also inf1icting Sc
we're losses on the italian transports con-
veying troops and war material to Libya.
The British high command, relying on
effective American support in the North
Atlantic especially since President
Roosevelt's speech of September II, is
moving to strike at the Axis before Hit
Ter has time to strengthen his forces.
British diplomats are advising an
early offensive because such a move,
coming on top of the failure of the Ger
mans to destroy the Soviet armies, would
have a determining effect on the French
and Spaniards.
The Vichy government is now in the
midst of a surprising transformation.
The advocates of the new order in Eu-
rope have been silenced for the time be-
ing. Adherence to Hitlers policies was
due not so much to the conviction OF
Admiral Darlan and his associates that
such an order would save France, but
because they believed the war had been
won by the Axis. And the opportunists
of France did not want to be left out in
the cold. Marshal Petain himself was
repeating the Nazi slogan. He had been
convinced that La RepubliQue was dead
and buried and that new order based
on a new form of bureaucracy was
Frances salvation.
Surprised by Russia's Stand.
The Russian armies-which every self
respecting soldier in Petains entourage
heartily despised-surprised not only the
IllSIi Uut ICNdill
his underlings at Vichy as well.
The first indications that a change of
heart had occurred in the capital of un-
occupied France came from the Amer
lean representatives. Admiral William
Leahy, our Ambassador at Vichy, has
been telling his fellow sailor Admiral
Darlan informally, that the "Fritzies'
can't win. Darlan, in an equally in
formal tone, replied that they had the
victory in the bag and that the "Yanks"
could not save Britain from disaster.
Now. Darlan apparently has changed
his tune. He is still soft-spoken and
whispers that he had to play along with
the Germans because he did not believe
In British victory. Developments dur
ing the last few weeks, however, have
induced him to revise his opinions. And
he asserts that he has put halt to any
active cooperation with the Reich in the
hope that this would help Britain and
her Allies to rid Europe of the Nazi terror.
Darlan is still minding his P's and Q's.
A spectacular British victory in North
Africa-something similar to Gen.
Wavells victory of a few months ago
would make deep impression in unoc-
cupied France.
Gen. Weygand has never indorsed the
idea of close cooperation with the Reich
In North Africa. He was compelled to
make certain concessions and shut his
eyes whenever the Axis used Tunisian
ports because he had no means of oppo-
sition. He has an army at his disposal.
1t could play a decisive role whichever
way it were thrown in this conflict. But
Weygand insisted that before throwing
his army into action again he must be
assured of a continuous flow of supplies
for his forces-whose airplanes are with
out gasoline, whose tanks are without
guns and whose guns lack shells.
e-Opener to Berlin.
The Germans feel that France could
slip away from the Reich. The expe-
riences they have had during the last few
weeks were an eye-opener to Berlin. At
Vichy the government is treating the
Nazi agents with all due courtesy.
Promises are being made, individuals are
arrested at the suggestion of the Gestapo,
but many of them escape" these days.