Evening star., 1941-06-20
British Weiqh
Aid 10 Soviet
# Invaded
English Pressing Air
Offensive; Cologne,
Dusseldorf Targets
Ey the Associated Press.

LONDON, June 20.-The Brit
ish weighed today a policy of aid
to Soviet Russia in event she,
and not Britain, is next on Adolf
Hitler's invasion schedule. The
question of United States support
of such plan was a considera-
tion.
But, on the chance that Hitler
would be able to strike a bloodless
bargain with Joseph Stain. freeing
the Germans for an all-out thrust
against the British Isles, the r. A. F.
was engaged in an unprecedented
offensive of obstruction.
Last night was the ninth success
sive night in which the r. A. F. had
pounded either the German bases
on the invasion coast or industries
and communications in Western
Germany or both. This time the
targets we're industrial Cologne and
Dusseldorf.
Russia and Finland continued
preparations for armed defense, the
Soviet government paper. Izvestia,
declaring that the enemy" will
never step across the Russian bor-
der, and the Firms calling up more
reserves
Russian Aid Urged.
Some British sources, following
the lead of the London Standard, a
newspaper published by Minister
of State Lord Beaverbrook, a key
figure in the Churchill government,
declared that If the Russians go to
war against Britain's enemy they
would be our allies and it is rea-
sonable we would give them what
ever aid possible"
There was no speculation. how
ever, as to what form that help
might take.
The Standard noted the problem
OF the United States attitude when
1t said Britain should try Ito make
our friends, the Americans, under
stand" the reasons for a British
Russian alliance against Germany
If ever the alliance is deemed neces-
sary.
Most observers felt that Britain
would be Hitler next sll-out OBJ
jective when he could settle with
Russia-either by parleys or panzer
divisions.
New Superbombs Used
Repeated smashes at the indus
trial Ruhr with the new British
"superbombs," which have a dev-
astating splash blast, were said to
be aimed at dual objective:
l. Slowing the German war effort
by hampering the industrial out
put, particularly synthetic oil.
2. Snarling the transportation
routes from base pools of material
and personnel which the Germans
will need when a full scale offensive
against Britain starts.
For four successive days there
have been daylight attacks on chan.
mel harbors. camps and airdrome.
that would be used for invasion. anc
these attacks, too, have a twin pur.
pose:
!. To drive back the fringe of com
bat by making forward German
bases unsafe or difficult to use.
2. To impair facilities which will
be needed for the expected German
offensive against Britain.
These points might have been OBJ
Jectives in the nights R. A. F. at.
tack on Cologne and Dusseldorf.
German Forces Diverted.
Sources outSpokenly unable Il
foretel the course of the German
Russian situation, nevertheless as
serted 1t was definite that the Ger.
mans had diverted numbers OF
planes and troops to the Russian
frontier.
This much had been said recently
by Tass, official Russian new:
agency, which added that 1T should
be assumed" that the movements
had no bearing on German-Russiar
relations.
The British sources added thai
the r. A. F.s offensive to cripple
any German plan to invade Eng.
land was itself a plain answer to
those Britons who warn against
er-optimism about the possibili.
ties of German military clash.
In other words, the British are
taking no chances with the posi-.