Evening star., 1941-10-05
Bombers From u. ).
Greatly Needed Now,
Halifax Declares
Flow of Aid Is Held
Key TO Invasion of
Continent by British
Ry BLAIS BOLLES.

terday that British prospects of
invading the continent of Europe
and meeting the Axis in land COM
bat depend on the flow of heavy
bombing planes from this country
to English flyers for use in the
aerial campaign over Germany. He
added that in his estimation land
combat will be a necessity before
the war is ended and that Ger
many must be softened from the
air before she can be met on land.
The Ambassador received the
press for the first time since his
return Wednesday to the United
States from a SiX-Week stay in Eng
land. He looked rested as he spoke
to newspapermen and women in
the marble -colonnaded ballroom at
the Embassy.
He said he was gratifled for Pres
ident RooSevelt'S recent decision to
put more vigor into the American
"defensive operations" but said the
matter of an A. E. F.. was up to
the United States people.
Varied Report on Trip.
Lord Halifax gave a varied re-
port on what he saw at nome, eX-
pressed the thanks of the British
people and the British government
for the assistance the United States
has extended to England and gave
some opinionS-among them doubt
whether it would be wise for Brit
ish troops to enter the Caucasus
from Iran to render military as
sistanCe to Russia.
The question involved in the pass
age of British forces from Iran TO
Russia. the Ambassador said, is
whether it would be wise to tie up
the Iranian transportation faclll-
ties that are needed for sending
supplies into Russia. He said Rus
sia had plenty of man power but
needed goods.
"The thing to which the govern
rnent and the people in England at
tach chief importance" Lord Hall
fax said, lis the delivery of heavy
bombing planes. Only by attack
from the air can we create condi-
tions in Germany that will enable
the war to be won in reasonable
time. Only by heavy bombers can
this be accomplished. One heavy
bomber in 1941 is worth two or
three in 1912. Every one you can
deliver to us is worth its weight
in gold"
Necessary Preliminary.
Weakening Germany by bombing
Is g. necessary preliminary to in
vasion. Lord Halifax Said. He ex-
pressed his opinion that the dispatch
of an expeditionary force to the
continent now might have the same
consequences the British suffered
at Dunkerque and in Greece and
Crete, when soldiers were withdrawn
at the cost of great quantities OF
supplies left behind for the enemy.
He found some English people eager
for an invasion.
He expressed apprehension over
the results if England drained her
self of military equipment and said:
England must be the essential
center of resistance and the center
of future activity"
The ambassador asked the cor
respondents to make it plain that
in talking about invasion, he was
saving that invasion was out for
the present" He said the whole OF
England is waiting for the moment
when the British forces Will be IN
a position to get off the defensive
and take the offensive.
Raids Over Nazi Areas.
Turning to Russia, Lord HALIFAX
,ajd the best way to help the Sovlets
is TO use the full strength of the
British air force day and night In
raids over Germany and Axis-held
regions-as the British have been
doing. keeping busy the German
fighters that otherwise could be IN
Russia"
The Germans in their turn, he
said. are concerned about the pros
pect of British invasion OF the
continent and for that reason keep
an ADEQUATE force of troops to pro-
tect the French coasts against any
possible action by Britain. Germany,
he recalled, has issued earnest ap-
peals to the Axis subject States to
send more re-enforcementS of men
to the Russian front.
Before the British invasion comes
off, however. he said there were
problems of equipment for England
to be solved and questions of the
state of German civilian and mill
tarv morale to be answered. as well
as Germany to be weakened by air
attacks. The state of feeling in the
occupied countries is an important
matter in the British decision, he
indicated.
In response to a question, the AM
basSador said he had not heard the
matter brought up officially in Eng
land whether the United States
should send an A. E. F. or become
involved in shooting war.
Up to American People.
"The English people" Lord Hall
fax said, do realize that that mat
ter (of an A. E. F. is one the
people of the United States can de-
eide"
He said the British have some
new plane factories coming into
production, but he emphasized
again that the chief source OF
bombers must be the United States,
since the British industrialists al
ready have just about gone "all-out'
in making war goods.
II am very glad to be back and
able to pick up the threads again
on this side" the Ambassador said
in welcoming the press. Il did my
best on the other side to tell them
something of what you are doing
over here and how you are feeling.
I found the British people, as I eX-
pected, very sensible indeed of the
help you are giving them, particu-
larly in the matter of help you are
giving them in repairing ships OF
war and merchant ships in your
harbors.
Then they were immensely sensi-
bic of the contribution you are
l., j. i ~