Evening star., 1941-01-05
Time Nazis Invade
Britain Linked 10
Congress- Action
Determination to Assist
Britain Promptly Seen
Forcing Reich to Move
BY PRESTON GROVER,

BERLIN, Jan. 4.-ObServers in
Berlin. awaiting President Roose-
velt's message to Congress Monday,
saw the possibility today that the
strength of Congress determination
to aid England may be a powerful
factor in settling when the Germans
will attempt landing attack on
England.
Should it become apparent that
Congress may act very fast in OPEN
ing American wealth and supplies.
some observers here predict that
Germany correspondence would
make a great effort to strike Eng
land to her knees before American
help could come.
Already, informed sources have
declared that mo matter what help
comes from America, it will be too
late" And already Germany is dis
playing a disposition to insure af-
fairs at her back by putting props
under Italy's war machine.
Movements to Aid Italy.
Units of the German Air Force
have landed in Italy. From the
Balkans come reports of ever
increasing troop movements in that
direction. What their plans or their
numbers may be is a closely guarded
secret, so far as official Germany
is concerned. But from Balkan
sources come forecasts that at least
part of the forces are intended to
ctY-jly fo
flank and end her embarrassing sue
cess against the Italians in Albania.
Similarly, it is Speculated, the
German military commanders would
never leave flank unprotected from
any possible Russian activity no
matter how friendly diplomatic re-
lations between Germany and the
Soviet might be.
In any event it can be taken for
granted that only a small fraction
of the total German forces has been
moved into the Balkans. Action
against Greece would require at the
outside only a score of Germany's
well-equipped divisions. At the time
of the west front campaign it was
generally accepted that Germany
had 240 trained divisions under
arms. Since that time there ap-
parently has been no reduction in
the number of new men drawn into
service as their numbers come up.
Storms Decrease in March.
Repeatedly it is asserted by semi
official and authorized sources that
the place where the war will be de-
c1ded is England. That statement
was repeated today by the we'll
informed commentary service Dienst
aus Deutschland.
How soon that attack will come
is, of course, a military secret. A
20-year study of English Channel
records discloses that during No
vember, December, January and
February storms occur at the rate
of Is per month, an average of one
every second day on this wind
swept stretch of salt water which
the Germans would be compelled to
cross in order to put large forces on
English shores. However. in March
the number of storms drops abruptly
to half a dozen. In April through
August only two or three storms
occur monthly.
Industrial Capacity in Picture.
The British have repeatedly re-
ported concentrations of fiat boats
along the French, Belgian and
Dutch shores. These would have
tough going carrying troops, guns
and tanks over stormy Channel
and might be expected to meet the
greatest success only if quiet waters
were available for the period of
days required to put a real striking
force across the Channel.
Both Congress and Americas in
dustrial capacity come into this
picture.
Neutral observers are interested as
to whether Congress will move fast
enough to throw the real weight
OF American help behind England
before the arrival of what might
conceivably be the best time for a
German attack. The extent of Ger
man interest can only be inferred
by the fact that much attention is
paid to the speeches of those men,
bers of Congress who are demand
ing that the United States move
slowly.