Evening star., 1942-01-25
By Constantine BrO,cn.

while our production must be divided
among the Pacific, the Mediterranean
and Russia.
In many quarters it is feared that COM
ing military developments in North
Africa and the Near East will require
that large proportion of our present
plane production be diverted to that re-
gion. Moreover, the Russians expect to
be reinforced before the end of spring,
for the "anti-German weather" which
has helped them put Hitler's legions on
the run will end sometime in April.
The Russians are advancing bravely
and have gained important successes; but
they themselves admit that if the
Fuehrer is successful in the Mediterra-
mean operations he is believed to be
planning, he will return in full force
against the U. S. S. r. by May. In order
70 withstand his renewed attacks the
Russian armies must be provided with
swarms of planes.
The Russians SO far have received little
assistance from the United States and
Great Britain. They have fought prin-
the German invasion in June Their in
dustrial regions, even if they are COM
pletely reoccupied, will not be able to
produce much any time soon. The indus
trial centers which have escaped Nazi
invasion continue to turn out tanks and
planes, but their number is long way
from being adequate. Hence, for military
and political reasons, the administration
here believes that all of Moscow's re-
quests for planes and other war material
must be promptly answered.
Considering the present rate of pro-
duction in the United States and Great
Britain it will be difficult for these two
suppliers to provide war materials-espe-
cially planes-to all those who need them.
Hitler Held Prime Objective.
The Russians and British are still firm
ly convinced that the battle against Hit
ler in Europe is of paramount importance
and that once the NaZiS are defeated the
NippOneSe are certain to collapse, per-
mitting the United Nations to repossess
their Far Eastern property without effort.
This point of view is opposed by the
Australians, the Dutch and the Cana
dianS, and to certain extent by the
South Americans, some of whom are
facing momentous decision on whether
to back us to the limit or maintain a
watchful semneutrality.
In Washington, where military and
naval experts have learned to hold their
tongues, there is no audible reaction to
the war plans as established by President
Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill,
but there is no question that most of
our military and naval men believe that
to stop the Japanese is far more i'm
portant right now than anything else.
The British and Russians are suffi-
ciently well equipped to resist the Nazis
and the Italians. The loss of our
bases in the Pacific is considered, how
ever, to be major tragedy not only for
us but for the entire British Empire.
1t can have incalculable consequences
not only militarily but politically as well.
Singapore is regarded as more or
less of lost proposition. There is a
vague possibility that it may be held
against the Japanese, but it is very
long shot. The fortress defense was
based on the hundreds of miles Of jungle
between the island itself and the points
Of invasion in Northern Malaga; on close
cooperation between Singapore's defend
ers and the French in Indo-Ch;na; and
on the prompt arrival OF large naval and