Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-10-29
u. 5. May Complete
|raq Railway for Use
AsSoviet SUPPLYING
Army Mission Will Study
Building Of Extension
To Berlin oehdod Route
BY STERLING F. GREEN,
Associated Press Stan Writer.

The United States will send a
military mission to Iraq, 1t was
learned on reliable authority today,
to study the feasibility Of construct
ing an unfinished extension of the
historic Berlin-to- Bagdad Railway
as a route for war supplies to Russia.
The Army group will investigate
a British proposal for spanning the
l0O-mile gap in the Iraq railway to
link the Persian Gulf with the Turk
ish rail system. which has direct
connections with Russian railroads
east of the Black Sea.
Ironically, completion Of this
project would put at the service OF
Germany's enemies, Britain and
Russia. vital spur of the Berlin-to-
Baghdad Railroad, which was the
unfulflled dream of Kaiser Wilhelm
II. His ambition to complete it has
been regarded as contributing fac
tor in the chain of events leading
to the first World War. Britain was
reported to have asked lease-lend
assistance for the project, along
with requests for aid to improve the
Trans Iranian Railroad, farther
east, and for delivery of 200 loco
motives, 4,500 freight cars, many
tons of rails and other equipment
to build up rail transport in the Near
East.
Proposal Favored by U. S.
It was understood that United
States officials looked with particu-
lar favor upon the Iraq railroad
proposal, and that the military mis-
sion would depart shortly for Basra
Iraq. for an investigation which
might determine whether this Gov
eminent would tackle the job.
The project is part of broad
British program for de-
veloping a rail and highway system
in the Near East capable of handling
huge volume of war materials, de-
tense sources said. In this there
appeared to be a threefold purpose
l. Keeping Russia in the fight
even though the Red armies are
pushed back beyond the Ural Noun
tins, and other supply routes are
blocked.
2. Preparation to supply military
equipment to Turkey if that country
ultimately should be forced into
belligerency.
3. Development of an adequate
military transport system for both
troops and supplies should the Near
East develop into a major war front
instead of secondary one.
Beside railroad construction and
Improvement in Iraq and Egypt, the
program contemplates development
of truck route-something akin to
the Burma road-in Eastern Irar
to connect Indian railroads with
South Central Russia.
Speed Recommends Highway.
The highway project was regarded
favorably in Washington. for it ap.
peared to offer an au-weather route
which could be brought into use ir
q matter of weeks or a few months
The Iraq Railroad extension would
require longer for completion, bu
was said to be considered by som,
officials the most logical and prac
tical route for United States ship
ments into Russia and ultimately
perhaps, Turkey, for it would rout,
deliveries through an area no
threatened Immediately by MAJ
troops. Basra. the terminus on thu
Gulf Of Persia, offers good harbol
facilities and is beyond the range O
effective Axis bombing, which can
not be said for the Red Sea route b,
which considerable lease-lend good
are now going to British Nea,
Eastern forces.