Evening star., 1941-04-26
Mediterranean War
Extension Seen BY
London Observers
British Write OFF Balkan
Defect and Stake Hope
On Aid From America
I'D the Associated Press.

Atlantic and the Mediterranean to-
day and staked her hopes on United
States aid to bridge the danger Pc
Rod until she Is strong enough to
turn the tables
Extension of the Mediterranean
warfare on a huge scale, reaching
from Gibraltar to the Indian Ocean,
was forecast by some observers as
O. result of the German march
through Greece.
But one reliable source asserted
the main theater of war remains
the British Isles and their mari
time approaches" and indicated
Britain is rallying her full strength
for the immediate task of holding
the eastern and western ends OF her
Mediterranean lifeline, keeping her
transatlantic supply routes open
and defending her ports and fac
tories against increasing air assault.
This source said the battle of
Greece proved that Britain is not
yet strong enough to handle the
bigger and better equipped German
Army, $50 our job for possibly an
other year seems to be concentration
on air and sea combat until we have
got tanks and weapons from United
States factories and ours to tackle
the enemy in decisive fashion on
land"
In connection with the battle Of
the Atlantic, reliable observers Of
fered the conjecture that President
Roosevelt's policy of naval patrols
far out in the Atlantic would ac-
tually mean that supply ships
would have fairly safe conduct on
the first half Of their voyage to Eng
land.
Many British warships thus may
be freed for duty In more dangerous
waters.
Strength Realigned.
There were indications that both
Britain and the axis powers were
realigning their land, sea and air
forces for sweeping new test OF
strength.
Reports that British troops are
moving into oil-rich Iraq in in
creasing numbers were interpreted
as Britain's answer to a potential
German threat to the Dardanelles.
At the same time the heightened
tempo of axis operations in Libya
was matched by reports of strong
British naval units steaming east
from Gibraltar.
That fortress, guardian Of the
western entrance to the Mediter-
ranean, was spotlighted by the an
nouncement that Lord Gort, former
3. E. F. commander in France,
had been placed in charge there
q development that some quarters
took as q sign the British believe
an axis push through Spain is i'm
mtnent.
A possible assault upon Gibraltar
was viewed here as not only a
serious menace to the British po-
sition in the Mediterranean, but
also q threat to French Gen. Max
irns Weygand's position in North
Africa.
With q half-million trained men,
as well as strong units of the French
feet at his disposal, Gen. Weygand
has generally been regarded here
as more or less independent Of the
axis 30 long as the Germans re-
NAMED out of Spain.
Optimism Over Africa.
Reports of increasingly effective
British resistance to the Italian
German offensive at the Libyan-
Egyptian border, meanwhile were
greeted as a basis for optimism in
London.
Imperial troops, cut of in Tobruk
when axis motorized columns skirted
the town in their drive to Salum,
have hurled back repeated raids,
1t was said, and in forays of their
own have captured prisoners and
destroyed axis tanks.
The garrison at Tobruk beat off
O day-long attack by axis forces
yesterday and took 100 prisoners
without suffering a single casualty,
the Ministry of Information an
nounced.
In Salum, within the Egyptian
border, the British were reported
still holding the lower half of the
village. Ths slope leading to the
upper levels has become a she'll
Scared mo mans land" and i'm
perial troops are still striving to
force their way up the escarpment
10 drive the Italians and Germans
from the villege, it was reported.
~ TfnfnrNio yryIaa fhA TrILA nf
Aosta has rallied his army for a
stand at bessie, South African
forces were said to have broken
through the stronghold's outer de-
fenses
Responsibility on Aosta.
Britain declared that the refusal
of the Duke of Aosta to lay down
his arms 'in the interests of hu-
n1snity has placed upon his shoul-
ders a heavy responsibility for"
italian civilians in Ethiopia.
AT Diredawa a massacre was
avoided only by the timely occu-
patton of the town by our troops
In spite of italian resistance" a
Ministry of Information statement
said.
elsewhere 1t will not be our
fault If italian resistance delays our
timely arrival, as for instance at
Gimma."
The statement asserted that 1t
Gen. Alan Gordon Cunningham
British commander in East Africa
accepted full responsibility" in his
offer to Aosta for all italian
civilians In British-occupied terri
tory.
Chance for Atrocities.
II continued: "Our forces must
be concentrated on the defeat OF
enemy forces under the Duke OF
Aosta 80 that the lot of italian
civilians may then be guaranteed
During the period that the Duke
OF Aosta delays his inevitable sur
render armed deserters from the
italian colonial forces have chance
30 commit atrocities in the areas not
Jet occupied by our troops"
Ethiopians have shown COM
niendable restraint and have i'm
plicitly obeyed Emperor Halle
Selassie's orders not to revenge
themselves on their former oppres-