Evening star., 1942-11-15
StoIin Reconsiders

oAAA oA4e4S4I VNGOIleS III NOfC0 AFRICA.
none has been awaited more anxious
~ than that OF Joseph Stain. The
tension was heightened by Winston
Churchill's revelation that when the
North African campaign was decided
upon in principle early last summer
by the Anglo-American high COM
mand, Britain's Prime Minister made
his special trip to Moscow, largely in
order to acquaint the ruler of Soviet
Russia with the decision, which made
unlikely the opening of that second
front" in Western Europe this year
which the Russians so ardently
desired.
Mr.. Churchill likewise revealed that
Stain was unsatisfled with the
North African project. Indeed, all
the evidence points to Stalin's con-
tinued efforts to get his Western
Allies to shift back to the European
second-front alternative. The high
point in these pressure tactics was
Stains open letter" to Mr.. Henry
c. Cassidy, Moscow representative of
the Associated Press. In reply to a
query by this American newspaper
man, Stain wrote on October that
a second front was of paramount
Importance, that Allied aid to Russia
had been of little effect compared to
the Soviet contribution to. the COM
mon war effort and that the Allies
were called upon to fulfill their obli-
cations fully and promptly" This
letter created a great furor every
where. In Britain and America
Stain was widely criticized as trying
to 60 over the heads of the Allied
governments and general STATS in an
appeal to the Allied peoples, and
fears were expressed in some quarters
that the missive smacked of warn
ing ultimatum. In Russia, bitterness
against Allied policy and strategy was
further intensified among Russian
soldiers and civilians. The general
impression was that a serious rift
had arisen between the Soviet Union
and its Allies.
Now Stain has given his reaction
to the current course of events, using
the same method as he did in early
October. In answer to a second
query from Mr.. Cassidy presumably
invited. asking the Soviet view of
the new situation, Stain has written
a letter that shows him now, as al
ways, shrewd realist He describes
the Allied campaign in North Africa
as "an outstanding fact of major
Importance demonstrating the grow
ing might of the armed forces of the
Allies and opening the prospect Of
the disintegration of the Italo-Ger-
man coalition in the nearest future"
Those recent victories have "refuted
skeptics" of Anglo-A American grand
strategy and ability.
The crux of the letter is the reply
to Mr.. Cassidy's query: How effec-
tive has this campaign been in reliev-
ing pressure on the Soviet Union, and
what further aid does the Soviet
Union await?" Stain answers that
it is too soon to estimate its ef1ec-
tiveness in relieving immediate
pressure" by the Axis on Russia. But
it may be confidently said that the
effect will not be a small one and
that a certain relief in pressure will
result in the nearest future" Stain
goes even further when he asserts
that, still more important. is the fact
that the Allies have now taken the
initiative, which enormously en-
hances United Nations prestige
through Axis dominated Europe, cor
respondingly lowers Axis morale and
tends to remobilize France on the
Allied side. With Italy likely to be
put out of action the North African
campaign creates the prerequisites
for establishment of a second front
in Europe nearer to Germany's vital
centers," thus insuring final victory.
To a concluding query by Mr.. Cas-
sidy as to the possibility Of syn
chronized Russian offensive, Stain