Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-31
Yueoslavs
Can Muster
100000
Make Excellent Fighters
but Have No Air Force
BY PAUL M.ALLON

WASHINGTON, March 81
w The Yugoslavs haven't got
200, 600 men under arms, as
suggested in the official dis
patches, they had nearly 100000
up and ready when the revolu-
ton started.
Within "A hours thereafter
they were modifying 100000
more. But these 100000 are
about all they will have room
for in any immediate fighting.
Gradually they will call up later
some 100000 reserves, but 10 do
so now would swamp their facil-
tiles thousing, roads. equipment
distribution.
For mountain fighting our
people rate the Yugoslavs the
best troops in the world, includ-
ing the Greeks. Average height
OF male MontenegranS is above
6 feet They are well equipped
with machine guns. small arms,
and have fairly efficient artil-
lery. In rugged terrain they
could be expected to stapd off
nearly anything for a time.
DUT they have no air force
- worthy of the name. Their
planes are all on the obsolescent
side. Their concentration points
can easily be bombed. They
have several mechanical units
but equipment is poor Offensive
fighting is therefore out of the
question.
Consequently their natural
plan of defense appears to re-
quire a withdrawal from the
open Danubian region around
Belgrade in the north. Their
domestic political interests re-
quire a showing of defense for
Slovenia and Croatia. The Serb
faction controls the army. but
they will have to do their heavy
fighting in the mountainous
areas.
In the passes on the Bulgarian
frontier, they could. for example,
present their strongest front.
MEN at the largest official
w maps here suspect the Ger
mans may not try these ortho-
dox routes. The crafty German
military mind might choose the
unexpected as usual. and hit
straigh south into Thrace
against the British. leaving the
Yugoslavs alone. a dash in this
direction might enable the Nazis
to get in behind the Greek lines
to Albania.
The British are not w h lily
unprepared. They have concen-
trated such quantities of mech
anized equipment in Greece that
some of their friends are begin
ming TO worry how they will get
il out, if the battle goes against
them.
TIME milder defensive tone of
Il Attorney General Jackson'S
Havana speech has sponsored an
impression among the political
elite that further drastic steps
in the British aid program may
develop more gradually than has
been anticipated.
So far this merely represents
talk among officials who do not
claim to know the Presidents
mind, but have seen certain
things indicating future steps
may be planned methodically
rather than pell neil, in order
10 garner overwhelming support.
The British have quietly
moved most Of their first line
fighting ships out of the Far
Eastern zone. This implies some
theoretical transfer of anti-AXis
responsibility to the American
ships in those waters. But the
authorities here say the respon-
sibility is likely TO remain
theoretical.
MIR. ROOSEVELTS labor spot
W. man. Sidney Hillman land
what a spoO lent hand toward
AFL settlement of the Interna-
tional Harvester strike. He let
the insiders around town know
two weeks ago he thought AFL
had a majority and Go was
pulling a minority strike.
But when the ALL men went
back to work they found the
Gle picket lines loaded with
baiters from Mr.. Hillman's own
union. the Amalgamated Cloth
ing Workers.
1t seems the Go had TO
round up picketing help from
other nearby Go unions, and
succeeded best with the union
controlled by Mr.. Roosevelt's
own labor peace guarantor.
WHEN the chief goes cruising,
w the braves go fishing, too.
On big Friday, with strikes
breaking around the country
and a revolution under way in
Ypgoslavia. the following gov
eminent leaders of cabinet rank
were away from their offices:
State Secretary HUI in Georgia.
Navy Secretary Knox in Chi
Cago. Labor Secretary Perkins