Show odaY Wr o oy Invasion Lil Likely ely Will Bring 1 Neutrals Satellites to Allies B By DeWitt Mackenzie Associated Press War Var Anal Analyst st Continued success of the allied drive In Italy Will vill be bound to have a salutary effect on the European neutrals and wretched a. a axis ls satellites sa Indeed when the allied invasion of f western Europe Europa has been successfully successfully successfully suc suc- Inaugurated and the assault assault assault as as- sault on Hitler's fortress Is under underway underway underway way from all sides side were we're likely to see sec a sharp swing of or the neutrals and partners toward the united nations This is the main idea it strikes me of ot the offensive offensive offensive offen offen- sive in Italy Italy to to repair the damage damage damage dam dam- age done to allied prestige by the delay in cracking the Gustav line which now has been obliterated The point is of course that most of these little countries haven't been masters of their own fates ates but have been sitting under the fuehrer's big guns Once the nazi devil is trapped and their security is guaranteed their moral support support and and in some cases active aid aid is is likely to be flung to the I allies alUes Pending the arrival of that favorable favorable favorable fa fa- fa- fa I moment the big three three- three three- I America Bri Britain tarn and Russia Russia are are compelled to use methI methods meth meth- I ads in the cases of neutrals which I are giving invaluable aid to HitI Hit Hit- I I ler Ier Among the most urgent cases is that of Sweden whose export I trade with Germany includes ball bearings which are among the most vital of war materiel Pressure from the big three both intimations of economic sanctions sanctions sanctions sanc sanc- and offers to purchase Sweden's Sweden's Sweden's Swe Swe- dens den's entire output of ball bearings bearings bear bear- I ings has failed to move Stockholm Stock Stock- holm The situation has become so acute that the United States war warr department is said to be urging urging urging ing stern measures Why does docs Stockholm take this stand The answer from what I understand to to be the Swedish viewpoint is interesting though unsatisfactory to the big three at this most crucial moment of the World war They tell us that the vast majority majority majority ma ma- of the Swedish people are arc with the allies at heart The reason reason reason rea rea- son they're not in the war on our side Is because they have right up to now been faced with these hard alternatives either alternatives either to maintain maintain maintain main main- tain neutrality or commit national suicide One hostile gesture from Sweden and Hitler would have treated her as he did Norway and the Ute rest Germanys Germany's pay for lor not attacking attacking attacking attack attack- ing Sweden has been essen essential imports from the latter It also has suited his purpose to sell Sweden necessities like coal chemicals chemicals chemicals chem chem- and Iron In this connection its it's important to note that the thc nazis con control Swedish waters and that only by Hitler's permission could the Swedes import anything from abroad by sea Its It's through his permission that Sweden has been allowed to bring oil and gasoline gasoline gasoline gaso gaso- line from the western hemisphere In her own tankers Weve We've now reached the point where danger of attack by Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many has sufficiently lessened so that the tho Swedes might venture to cut off all trade with the reich reich reich- if the allies could replace essential essential essential essen essen- Swedish imports Stoppage of Swedish exports to Germany would mean immediate cessation of nazi exports to Sweden and the Scandinavian neutral maintains maintains maintains main main- that without these necessities necessities necessities ties she couldn't long long- hold out In view of these circumstances the offer of the allies to buy all Sweden's ball bearings doesn't help from her viewpoint The minute she cuts off ball bearing shipments shipments shipments ship ship- ments to the reich all German exports to Sweden cease In short Stockholm apparently feels that it would be suicidal to stop trade with Germany until the allies arc are able to guarantee Sweden's vital supplies I |