Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-08
Nazis Hold
Superiority in
Supply Lines
But British Plane Force
Better in Egypt
BY PAUL MALL0N


difficulties in maintaining lines
Of supplies.
Just before the final stage of
Rommel's successful drive, Ital-
ians waylaid a British convoy on
its way from Gibraltar TO Alex
andria. 1t was cut up severely,
il was never able to reach Gen
eral Auchinleck, but was stopped
at Malta where the supplies
were needed much less than in
Egypt.
Since the Mediterranean has
become virtually no mans sea,
so far as the British are con-
cerned, General Auchinleck's re-
Gently advanced reinforcements
naturally had to come from
other directions, nearby Syria,
our own air base in Eritrea, and
even India.
THE German line is ten times
u shorter. but the British
have superiority in the air. Their
bombers, you may have noticed,
have been hitting Bengal day
and night since their trouble
started.
Thus, the fighting on both
sides has been hindered 10 a
substantial extent by the invisi-
BILE factors behind the lines.
The Germans, however, still
hold a substantial advantage in
this critical aspect Of the cam
paign. because the British have
been pushed back from their adj
vance air bases.
Hope, but not optimism, is
consequently being generally
felt here.
EMPHATIC interpretations OF
IL the news from the Russian
front have never been possible.
The Nazis and the Reds are en-
gagged there in tactics compa-
rable to American football.
The latest Nazi hammering OF
the line between kursk and
Kharkov, several hundred miles
north of where the real play
was expected. has had many
pulling aspects, but seems sub
ject to only one Interpretation.
The Nazis apparently have
been hammering the tackle and
guard positions there in prepa--
ration for a run around the end
where the play was expected IN
the first place.
THE line north of Kharkov
l. was not as strongly defended
by the Reds as their position
around Rostov. The Germans
therefore were able to hit ii
hard enough to break through
and. in fact, cause some with
drawal of troops from the south
ern front.
Also. these tactics served 10
protect them in the future from
any northern fianking move, II
they go forward with the Ros-
tov drive, as expected.
Consequently, both this un-
expected northern break-through
and the expected capture of
Sevastopol apparently were only
Nazi preparations for a bigger
drive TO come in between these
two points.
At least that is the only in
depreciation which squares with
the known facts. Future events
will tell.
TEIE Russians lately have per-
Il mitted our army observers
TO get up a little closer TO the
front lines than formerly, but
mostly in quiet sectors. No spe-
cial military missions have been
allowed 10 come in. Only our
men on the ground have been
allowed TO go forward.
The Russians believe in rum
ming the war their own way. No
Moscow interest in opening up a
Siberian front has been reported
here.
TIiE House Lawmakers already
Il have changed their minds
about one thing joint taxation
of husband and wife.
The committee shipped that
treasury provision out of the tax
bill after first adopting 1t, sup
poSedly due 10 the ardent work.
ingS of Speaker Rayburn who
halls from Texas, a community
property state.
There has also been some talk
i'm committee that the White
House interviewed. but this has
IN no wise been Substantiated.
THE grand old liberal of the
Il Senate, George Norris of
n ebraSk decided several
months ago he would not run
for reelection. but he has since
been told by President Roosevelt
that it is just as honorable for
him to die in the Senate as on
the battlefield.
Not only from this but from
other evidence. the politlcos as
sumo Norris will probably an
nounce his candidacy as an in
dependent after the August IL