Show Rw N NEN SR BE EN Washington D D. D C. C GREATEST TRAGEDY You dont don't h have ve to wait for hIstorians historians historians his hIs- to record the fact that the gre greatest test tragedy of the year 1941 as far as this war is concerned is the way the British have twiddled their thumbs watched the Russians and done almost nothing except cheer Over three months have passed since Hitler sent his mechanized masses hurtling across the Russian n border and in that time the British sent only a trickle of help Yet the British knew that prolonged prolonged prolonged pro pro- longed Russian resistance was the biggest chance they had of defeating defeating defeating defeat defeat- ing Hitler They also knew that Hitler's HiUer's tactic always ys has been to pick his victims one by one Yet realizing this the British have done virtually the same thing Poland did when Czechoslovakia was invaded invaded invaded in in- what did when Bulgaria was invaded and what Turkey did when was invaded The They have merely sat on the sidelines sent airplanes plus a mission to Moscow taken a good long rest rest and and cheered Second Front Meanwhile the general staff advisers advisers advisers ad ad- of both the British and American American Amerlean Amer Amer- ican lean armies have bluntly warned that the Russians were sure to be defeated unless a second front was created against Hitler This second front against Hitler meant of course a British expeditionary expeditionary expeditionary force landing in France Holland or Spain This question has been discussed carefully behind the scenes but the British have wanted two things one was tanks most of theirs having been demolIshed demolished demolished de de- at Dunkirk the second has been an American Americ n Expeditionary Expeditionary force to help them The British did not really push I this Idea of an for they knew politically it was impossible for Roosevelt But nevertheless they did want company in attempting to toland toland toland land troops on the Continent They had plenty of troops in England England in in fact so many that there has been restlessness and bad morale because because because be be- cause of inactivity It is true that tha t these troops are not completely equipped and are sadly lacking in hi tanks But there is considerable belief that they were equipped sufficiently to make a landing land land- I ing in Spain from Gibraltar and that in France the local people would have risen up to welcome them However all summer long the British have maintained an after you Alphonse attitude Meanwhile the he situation in Russia has become darker and darker darker darker-as as every military military military mili mili- tary expert knew was inevitable All AU of which brings up the vital question of exactly who is the dominating dominating dom dom- mating factor in the now virtual Anglo-American Anglo alliance We have thrown a very large pile of chips into the gamble on a British British victory victory victory vic vic- tory yet no one seems seems to know whether the British are taking advice advice advice ad ad- vice from us or whether we are taking taking taking tak tak- ing orders from the British President President President dent Roosevelt and Harry Hopkins may know but if so they have not informed informed informed in in- formed those closest to them HITLER'S OIL PROBLEM Most of the reports from Russia look black and to U U. S. S army observers observers observers ob ob- servers they have been that way for some time However one encouraging encouraging encouraging en en- factor stands out This is the question of oil Without oil no army or navy can move And despite the tremendous areas taken by Hitler in all Europe he still faces two years after starting starting starting start start- ing the war almost the same oil shortage as before Rumania seized chiefly for her oil all oilfields oilfields fields has hos a capacity of tons annually However the Russians Russians Russians Rus Rus- bombed the tie Rumanian oilfields oil oilfields oilfields fields so badly that production is isnow isnow isnow now down to about tons or less Germany itself has a synthetic gasoline production of about tons making a total annual production production production pro pro- today of about tons On the other hand Germany is using using using us us- ing oil and gas to operate its army at the rate of about tons tonsa a year most of which has come from reserves It is estimated that Germany still has reserves on hand of 10 or perhaps 15 million tons All of which means that the real pinch will come next spring In other words Hitler Hiller has enough oil and gas to last through the winter winter win win- ter but by the end of the winter he absolutely must take the Russian oil fields of the Caucasus In fact he is sure to stage a terrific drive to take them even earlier The tremendous tremendous tremendous tre tre- Nazi sacrifices to take Kiev and Odessa all were because those two cities are re the path of the Nail march to the tle Caucasus R Russian Chances During t the coming winter however er the Russians lans should be able to hold out The Caucasian mountains are arc high and rugged The Russians have a huge force in this area The British also have rushed troops through Iran to the border of the Caucasus HoweVer ifs if Hitler's gasoline situation situation situ situ- is even more desperate than indicated above which above which may be quite possible then possible then he is almost sure to put the pincers o on 01 harder than ever before in nea if V drive on the Caucasus |