Evening star., 1943-06-08

over the sea or passed through the
air.
Tunisia and Stalingrad
Great German Disasters.
This toll was taken by the Allied
air force and by the British subms
rines, cruisers, destroyers and motor
torpedo boats.
This British naval force at the
same time caused an impassab BILE
barrier between the enemy in Tunisia
and all prospects of escape. During
the latter phases the fixed patrol was
| maintained in force which would
have prevented any attempt at
escape except by individuals.
In fact, believe only 638 persons
have escaped, and these, for most
part, by air on this scene of
surrender.
One cannot doubt that both Stall
1ngrad and Tunisia are the greatest
military disasters that have ever
befallen Germany in all the wars she
has made, and they are many.
There Is no doubt from the state
ments Of captured generals that
Hitler expected his Tunisian army
to hold out at least till August and
that this was the view and intention
OF the German high command
The suddenness Of the COLLAPSE of
these great numbers of brave and
skillful fighting men, with every
form of excellent equipment, must be
regarded as significant and in a
sense characteristic OF the German
psychology. which was shown after
Jena and also at the very end of the
last war.
Though this fact should certainly
be noted and weighed, no undue ex-
pectations should be based upon it.
We are prepared to win this war by
hard lighting and if necessary by
hard fighting alone.
In years Of peace peoples of the
British Commonwealth and those of
the United States were an easy
going folk, wishing to live a free
life, with active politics and other
opportunities of innocent diversion
and OF national self-improvement.
They do not covet anything from
others, perhaps because they have
enough themselves. and they have
even failed to keep a good lookout
upon their own safety.
Sees Democracies
Stronger After War.
They have martial qualities, but
they certainly do not like to drill
Nevertheless when they are attacked
and assaulted and forced in defense
OF their life and liberty to make
war and to subject all their habits
OF Life to war conditions and to
war discipline. they are not incapa-
BILE, If time is granted to them
and time was granted to them-of
making the necessary transforma-
ton.
Indeed a great many Of them are
taking to it with increasing zest and
zeal.
Such nations do not become ex-
hausted by war. On the contrary
they get stronger as it goes on. It is
an error on the part of certain neu-
trails to suppose that the previously
unprepared and ill-armed Anglo
Saxon democracies will emerge from
this war weakened and PROSTATE
even though victorious.
On the contrary. we shall be
stronger than ever before in force
and l trust also in faith.
1t may well be that these guilty
races that trumpeted the glories 81
war at the beginning will be extoll-
ing the virtues of peace before the
end. 1t would certainly seem right
however. that those who fix on their
own terms the moment for begin
ming wars should not be the same
men who fix on their own terms the
moment Tor ending them.
These observations are Of gen.
eral character, but not without their
particular application.
must not neglect to make It clear
that operations now impending In
! the European theater have been