Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-01

Canal practically was in their grasp. But
the momentum of the German drive
slowed down. The British, badly de-
pleted as were their arms, established
their position along short line of fea-
tureless desert between Ell Alamein on
the sea and impossible Qattara depres-
sion.
Then the drive stopped. There has
been virtual stalemate through the hot
summer. enlivened only by relatively
minor skirmishes. Both sides have been
strengthening their
British Get positions and econ
us SunnI;ee omizing their weap-
ons But both have
realized that sooner or later one of
the crucial battles of the war must be
fought in Egypt. The British have been
reinforced with American supplies, planes
and tanks. American observers have been
Scotch commanding general, Gen. Mont
gomery.
There has been little information on
the preparations of the fox of the desert,
Marshal Irwin Rommel. Certainly he
has been conserving his forces as far as
possible. German divisions have been
withdrawn from the lines and held in
reserve while their places were taken by
Italians. There has been very consid-
cradle flow of men and supplies across
the Mediterranean
The enormous advantage Of having
taken the offensive in the new phase of
the Egyptian campaign rests with the
British 1t was launched by the 9th
Army, including some Of the most famous
of British regiments and forces of Aus
tralians, Free French, Greeks and Poles,
with a full October moon making the
desolate wastes around Ell Alamein bright
as day.
The Germans recoiled, as was to be
expected, under the impact of this at
tack. But it was one of the most diff
cult and costly of all military operations,
a direct frontal attack. Rommel Is safe
on either flank and has prepared a de-
Tense position which should be proof
against any swift break through, and
which can be forced only by slow and
expensive siege methods. The Germans
made one counterattack which got no
where.
Thus far the news has been good But
military men warn against too much
optimism until the course of the fighting
becomes clearer. Hitherto the war in
North Africa has been see-saw affair,
with spectacular advances by one side
or the other almost matter of course.
But now the conditions are far differ
ent than during the earlier campaigns.
Then the southern flank of each army
was bound only by the limitless expanse
of desert and 1t always was possible to
turn this flank or break through at some
weak point in the extended line. Now 1t
must be a head-on crash.
In Africa the Allies appear to have
gained the all-important control of
the air.
1t is still too early, experts claim, prop
erly to evaluate this
Mony Reasons" development. T e
Advanced mans, 1t S
known, have a con-
siderable air force in Egypt, but here, as
elsewhere, they have been carefully con-
serving it. Probably there have been no
reinforcements. 1t may be that the
Axis aircraft industry has been seri-
ously crippled by the British attrition
raids over Europe. 1t may be that pro-
duction has been cut down temporarily
for retooling.
Another possibility in the African sit
uation is that Rommel's flyers are ser1-
ously short of gasoline, due to the con-
| slant air and submarine attacks on his
| lines of communication across the Medl-
terranean. The rate of sinking of sup
! ply ships has increased sharply during
| October.
A part of the same pattern of i'm
pending major developments in North
| Africa have been the heavy Axis attacks
on Malta and the Allied bombardments
of the italian industrial centers, closest
supply sources for the Germans.