Evening star., 1942-03-22

this spring will bring a Nazi push to-
ward oil wells. Berlin has decided that
gold is valueless, but the black gold of
petroleum remains vital for the Nszis.
The oil production now available to Ger
many is less than German needs. Since
the Russian resistance has served to
keep the Nazis from the Russian oil in
the Caucasus region, the Germans are
expected to 60 after the oil in the Mosul
region in Iraq and in Persia.
The road to those oil wells lies through
Turkey. and most highly placed Allied
leaders would be astonished If the spring
departed with Turkey still not involved
in the war. Confidential information
reaching Washington through authorita-
tive channels discloses that Germany
and her partners in Europe need 24,00O,-
900 tons of oil a year for war and in
dustrial purposes and that only 12,000.-
600 tons are available to the Axis powers.
Rumania Disappoints Nazis.
Rumania continues to be disappoint-
ment to Germany on the oil score. The
output of that country's wells is reduced
by nature each year. The Dajbowitz
fields produced more than 5000, 900 tons
in 1886. The Rumanian estimate of out
put for those fields this year is 1,700.-
900 tons The whole Rumanian output in
1886 was 8,700 900 tons. Last year it was
100000 tons Rumanian refineries are
prepared to take care of 10000 900 tons
of crude year. They refined only 4,800,-
600 in 1941.
Hitler, If successful In reaching the
Persian oil fields, would be separated
only by Baluchistan. India and Western
Burma from his Asiatic collaborators,
the Japanese. The prospect OF Ger
man-Jap junction in India is frighten-
ing, but certain fundamentals argue
against its occurring.
The japanese moved too slowly IN
Burma to hope to reach India before
the arrival of the hot season, which is
too hot for major warfare. Second. can
the Germans reach Persia? That is an
interesting question worth keeping in
mind as the expected push against
The object of German-Japanese CO.
operation in 1912 is more likely to be
Russia than India. 1t is conceivable
that Japan will open a second front
against Russia so that the Soviets will
have to fight in Siberia as well as Euro
pean Russia, and that Germany and
Japan will cooperate in trying to close
of Russia from the rest Of the world
The massing of German troops in
Norway and the movements of the Ger
man battleship Tirpitz in far northern
waters hints at German designs to halt
the flow of supplies from America and
Britain to Russia via Murmansk.
Sweden Might Be Involved.
Japanese control of the Indian Ocean,
especially the seizure of the French
island of Madagascar and its use as a
Japanese naval, base, would lessen, If
not wholly close off, shipment Of sup
plies to Russia via the Red Sea or the
Persian Gulf. Japan at war with Russia
could isolate the port Of Vladivostok, and
Japan by patrolling the Bering Sea
could close the Arctic route to supplies
for Russia.
Some secondary developments Of
major scheme of cooperation like this
would be the probable involvement OF
Sweden In the war and japanese at
tack on Alaska as q consequence OF
Bering Sea tactics.
Surprising though it seems. some parts
of the world are not formally in the war.
How long can they stay out? Will Ger
many attack Brazil from the sea now
that Brazils president has paved the
way for quick Brazilian entrance into
the war? If Brazil is attacked, will the
Axis find it useful to take the Azores
from Portugal for use as bases in the
South Atlantic? All in all, this will be
Q momentous new season spring in
North America, Europe and Asia;
autumn in Brazil. South Africa and
AuKtraliA. IA