Evening star., 1943-05-01
Sweden Moy Join
Enemies Of Nuzis
Major Eliot Sees Signs
Of Growing Resistance
On Northern Front
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.
There are some indications, which as
what we may call the northern front in
Europe is coming to life.
1t is quite possible, for example, that
the Germans have decided that a limited
offensive In North Russia will be the
best move they can make within the
limitations which their shortages Of
manpower and air power impose upon
them. This may be intended to forestall
Russian offensive in this area, for
which the Russians now possess con-
siderable advantages since the reopen
ing of communications with Leningrad
and the recovery of the fortress OF
Novgorod. In this connection the mining
of the Baltic ports by the Raj and the
Russian air attacks on Koenigsberg and
Danzig are not without significance. 1t
will be remembered that last spring,
when the Germans were preparing to
use their Baltic ports as bases OF opera
tions against Russia, the RAF bombed
Rostock and Lubbock.
Closely connected with the strategic
possibilities in the Leningrad area are
the present difficulties of Finland.
Obviously the Firms are anxious to get
out of this war and one of the best
reasons for their desire to make a grace
full exit would be that they think the
Germans are not going to be able to
support them any longer. This would
indeed be the case if the Russians
recovered control of the south shore Of
the Gulf of Finland. The fact that Field
Marshal Baron Mannerheim, commander
in chief of the Finnish army, has just
arrived in Switzerland for "a few days
convalescent rest may or may not have
some significance in this connection.
The Germans have certainly shown
themselves nervous, not to say touchy,
over the prospect of Finnish detection
from their cause. Their troops have
fought desperately to avoid being pushed
back any farther in the vicinity of Lenin-
grad, and their political agencies have
been extremely alert to deal with any
sign of anti-Axis tendencies on the part
of the Finnish government or people.
OF course this is all wrapped up in the
same packing with Swedish German
relations which are getting steadily
worse. The tone of recent Swedish gov
ernment communications to Germany
can only be described as truculent. I'm
doubtedly the Swedish government at
last believes that it can permit itself
the luxury of allowing the tone of its
diplomatic correspondence to reflect the
state of Swedish public opinion, which
has been growing more anti-German by
the hour.
Sweden, as previously remarked in
these articles is literally armed to the
teeth and would be an exceedingly dam
gerous enemy for Germany at the present
moment There have been rumors that
the Swedish government, in response to
popular pressure, is about to put stop
to transit of German troops through
Swedish territory enroute from and to
Norway. These are supposed to be only
soldiers going on leave, and an equivalent
number of requirements going from Ger
many to Norway.
1t is interesting to note that some, at
least, of the RATS mining operations in
the Baltic yesterday were directed toward
stopping ferry transit between Germany
and Sweden. Whether this is hint that
the British think something more than
requirements for men on leave are going
into Norway is of course uncertain. But
British interest in stopping this traffic
suggests the possibility that Norway may
not be outside the Scope of present plans
for Allied offensive operations on the
continent.
1t should be noted that everything
that happens on this northern front is
part of single "big picture" A German
or Russian success in the Leningrad
area affects Finland; what Finland does
affects both Russia and Sweden; the
the growth of Swedish armed power be-
comes more and more of a threat to
Germany as the Swedish people become
more and more anti-German in their
attitude; and an Allied attack on Nor
way would almost certainly result in
Swedish involvement in the war since
the Swedish people in their present mood
and with their present confidence in
their fighting strength would be hardly
likely to yield to German demands for
the use of Swedish railways-without
which the German garrisons in Norway
could not be adequately reinforced. So
far there is nothing really tangible to
show what is going to happen in the
north. But there are plenty Of excur-
sions and alarums.
Copyright, 1943, N Y. Tribune, Inc)