Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-28
Time limit
Of 3 Weeks
Given Hitler
Must Ate ck by Then
Or Prepare Excuses
BY PAUL MALDON


Ukraine for several months now
TO start his promised big drive,
the one which is TO make or
break his cause.
German generals have been
running in and out of Berlin.
The weather has been suitable
for fighting on that front for
several weeks. Yet there has
been no action.
The answer is he is still mass
ing, still struggling to accumu-
late every possible force. He
has lifted Italian soldiers from
Italy-not for the fighting, of
course--but TO relieve Germans
TO go TO the front
DUMANIANS, Hung a r ians.
IL BulgarianS also are being
used for this purpose. Planes
are being gathered in from the
occupied regions along the At
lantic seaboard (which should
leave that way easier for the
BRITISH. German troops have
been shifted from the central
Russian front. south to the scene
of prospective fighting.
This certainly means action is
coming. But if it does not get
started within the next three
weeks, Hitler will have to fur
nish some tall excuses.
Hitler is evidently counting
on the big thaw, just now devel-
oping on the central and north
ern front to keep the Russians
from breaking through his weak
ened forces there. His transpor-
tation facilities are so much
better than the Russians that
he can move from the center to
the south much faster.
But he seems to have depleted
his center TO such an extent that
he will need this fast tranSpor-
tation 10 get them back when
the thaws pass in few weeks.
DUT on other fronts Hitler's
~ failure to display any
strength in action is less easily
explained. 1t looked as though
he had started his offensive in
Libya several weeks ago, but it
turned out to be only a recon-
naissance in force.
The British were fearful that
he would break through at that
time-to their naval base at
\ Alexandria. Now they rest
easier with the assurance that
any drive against them must
not only be started. but COM
pleted, within six weeks. The
summer sun will then put an
end to operations.
Thus il looks like that cam
paign is off. The Italians who
would be expected 10 contribute
greatly TO such a move. are in
stead going northward to re-
lieve the Germans.
WITH terrific bombing concen-
w trations, Hitler went after
Malta, the tiny British rock
under the toe of Mussolini's boot
but it is still there, tickling him
as we'll as the faded Mussolini.
Nothing has happened so far
in Spain or at Gibralter, al
though action at both points
has been promised and promised.
New NaZi troop movements
into Crete and Greece have been
noticed. obviously in preparation
for action against Syria, when
and if Laval gets the French
fleet to lead der fuehrer's way
there.
But all Hitler's widely adj
vertised spring offensive has
amounted 10 thus far is the cap
ture Of Petain.
7 ORD BEAVERBR ROCKS
IL fighting speech, promising
a second front against Hitler in
Europe. plus German loss of air
strength there for reinforce
ments in Russia, might, on its
face, seem TO indicate a British
invasion is nigh.
But Beaverbrook did not say
when, and what he did say may
have been calculated more to
brighten Hitler than to divulge
imminent intentions.
The British have a stronger
Commando force than they have
yet used. They are capable OF
invading any continental point
and staying from six TO "a
hours. Hitler cannot possibly
maintain suffic ent strength
along such a long stretch Of
coast 10 cope with the threat
they will constantly present 10
him
Also the British have behind
tho Commands the home forces,
and they could 'conceivably
throw these in behind the Com
mandos TO make their stay
longer.
For the present, however, that
situation stands only as a threat.
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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY
April rs, 1917