Evening star., 1942-11-11
Africa Front No Bar
To New 0ffensiyes,
Roosevelt Says
FuII-scole European
Invasion Among PIons
Studied, He Reveals
BY GARNETT d. HORNER.

The war OF nerves" against
the Axis was carried on today
with assurance by President
Roosevelt that prospective
United Nations offensives-in-
cluding another second front in
Europe itself-are,not limited in
any way by the current drive in
Africa.
The Presidents words of worry
for Hitler and Mussolini came dur
ing press conference late yester-
day when he disclosed that he and
Prime Minister Churchill began
planning more than four months ago
for the African campaign in prefer
ence to waiting until mid-1943 for
q direct attack across the English
channel on Axis Europe.
The expedition in Africa seems
to be going we'll so far, Mr.. Roosevelt
said. He sounded note of caution,
however, by saying that while he
did not want to throw cold water
on public elation over this operation,
Americans should remember there
are peaks and valleys in progress of
the war and should avoid either un-
due elation or undue depression, as
we'll as not do to much prognosti-
eating about ultimate results of any
campaign.
European, Other Fronts Planned.
The President lent weight to in
dirations that the Allies may use
North Africa as springboard for
an attack across the Mediterranean
when asked if the African campaign
has limited prospects for an offen-
sive in Europe.
He replied that no one need think
that the total of prospective offen-
sive operations has been limited in
any way by the operation in Africa.
Numerous possibilities for offensive
action already have been thoroughly
surveyed by the United Nations, he
said at another point, with a full
scale European second front chief
among them.
He refused to 90 into any detail,
however, when asked how winning
North Africa might expand the pos
sibilities for other Allied offensives.
His reply was limited to quoting q
remark which he attributed to Sec
retary of State Hull-that we
should get established in Africa be-
fore talking about the future.
The correspondent who raised the
question said he was thinking of it
as part of the war of nerves." Mr.
Roosevelt interjected that he be-
lieved the developments concerning
Africa had worked as a fine example
of the war of nerves.
Allies Consulted.
In revealing that he and Mr..
Churchill decided last June on the
current offensive in Africa, the
President said they than had to
smile and take it on the chin when
ignorant outsiders began demanding
a second front. He later took some
of the sting out of the term zig
norant," explaining he meant that
On military matters no outsider could
be cognizant of the facts and so in
that sense was ignorant. -, n
It is safe to assume that our prin-
(cipal fighting allies were taken into
consultation before anything was
decided on, he said, when asked how
his June II joint statement with
Soviet Foreign Commissar Vya-
cheslav Molotov, reporting "full
understanding" with regard to "the
urgent tasks of creating a second
front in Europe in 1912" fitted into
the picture.
When Mr.. Churchill came to
Washington for his second war
time visit later in June, Mr.. Roose-
welt said, it had become apparent
that because of physical difficulties
the hoped-for European second
front offensive directly across the
English channel probably could not
be carried out successfully in 1912.
The issue raised then, he went on,
was whether to concentrate on plans
! for frontal assault on Axis Europe
that could not be carried out on the
necessarily big scale until mid-1943,
or to work out an offensive on a
smaller scale that could be started
this year.
Agreement Reached.
Various possibilities of action
more limited in scope were surveyed
during Mr.. Churchills visit, the
President said, with the result of