Show allied raids in force may divert nazi troops germans fear large scale commando attacks hold million well equipped soldiers in reserve by BAUKHAGE news analyst and commentator features 1343 11 II street N W washington D C what about this second front the chorus demanding ar an invasion of europe not next year or next fall but sometime before day after tomorrow Is rising to a fine crescendo it is reduced to black and whits white in the russian press it is echoed in lord Beaver brooks publications in great britain it is applauded by the common people in england whose affection for the russians has grown by b Y leaps and bounds those are the outward signs what Is happening behind closed doors Is of course harder to estimate we know that the official russian news agency TASS recently instructed its washington correspondent spon dent to sound out informally officials here regarding their prejudices predilections and prognostic on tile the subject of aid to russia in the form of a direct attack on the axis we know that the rus bus stan ambassador in london openly if not for or official record conducted similar inquiries we know that a report reached washington that the british censor allegedly at american request clamped down on second front speculation at the war department here it was stated there was no information concerning issuance of such orders or such a request from washington this attempt it if someone did make such an atte attempt pt to silence discussion of a seco second nd front may rna y have meant that some military move mote was imminent if so what would the nature of that move be I 1 have made diligent inquiry and although of course specific information cannot be expected some general principles can be discussed in the first place I 1 can find no encouragement coura gement from any military source for the idea for an imminent invasion of europe on any scale which would identity identify it as a genuine second front however I 1 have noted a slight change in attitude of persons who ought to know the plans so far as they are to be known instead of saying some time or perhaps in 1942 they now cautiously admit not before the fall but as the clamor increases for some effort to divert hitler from his mad charge toward the caucasus we do hear that some form of distracting tr military activity may be looked for the germans tear fear this they also tear fear that what might be launched in the guise of a commando raid might develop into a life size invasion hardened veterans there is proof cai 0 1 this first the nazis are feverishly strengthening their defenses along the coast areas in great depth second they are holding about a million men in germany equipped and ready hitler will throw them into the eastern battlefront if he dares or into western europe if he must these are well equipped outfits some of them fresh well trained troops some parts of rebuilt organizations which were shot apart in russia but are now rehabilitated and reconstructed able men and hardened hardene veterans and as nearly as a layman restrained by a desire not to reveal reve I 1 anything which might serve as aid and comfort to the enemy can do so and building on the slight information available the following seems to be the picture aside fro from in the continuation of mass air raids when the weather permits the only probable move on the part of the allies in the immediate future w will ill be an effort either to immobilize this german reserve or draw it ward toward to the western front not to engage onto ento it in battle the means of doing this will probably be what are technically termed raids ln in force 11 that Is the landing of troops in numbers perhaps in thousands with the purpose of creating as much damage as possible to german installations the he holding of their positions for some time in order to divert its as many enemy troops as possible but so planning and executing their activities that they can retire when their mission als ion Is accomplished without heavy losses i these attacks would be on a much larger scale than anything which the i out of the frying pan into the firing bring line that Is the new kitchen plan to save waste tat fat tor for glycerine to make war explosives reports indicate that effective july I 1 all japanese supplies of rice wheat barley potatoes and other important foodstuffs will be purchased and distributed exclusively exclusivity by the government at fixed prices Coni commandos mandos have so far attempted but they would be organized on the same pattern they would utilize all branches of the service and they would undoubtedly be under th the e command of lord Mount batten chief of the combined services commandos americans undoubted undoubtedly ly would take part but it Is unlikely that the command would be american pattern for command this does not mean however that when the full scale invasion of europe begins unified command with an american commander is ruled out however it Is unlikely that unified command as it is being discussed at present goes ha hand n d in hand with the establishment of a temporary or even a permanent second front the pattern f tor r american established commands already established will probably be followed s such uc h as macarthurs Mac Arthurs in australia where an american officer is in c complete om charge of all land air and sea forces in his particular theater CoVi commands mands established in the european theater with general eisenhower in charge of the army and admiral stark the navy differ in that american jurisdiction so far is limited to american units at present there is no disposition to change this jurisdiction it is quite possible that when the expeditionary force is completely prepared for full scale invasion of europe it will be under american command certainly if american units predominate numerically as they may eventually As to the question of a supreme commander over all the unified nations military men feel eel that this would be impossible they point out that stalin in ru russia S sla and chiang kal kai shek in china could hardly subordinate their au authority joany to any foreigner for purely technical reasons the vast expanse of the front is so great it is inconceivable that one man could command it it is also noteworthy that even hitler cannot pretend to dictate policy or strategy to the mikado we may see american troops in comparatively small numbers fight ing side by side with british forces on the continent of 0 europe before the snow flies but it Is unlikely that the units will be large or under american command visiting royalty presents problems the entire king business Is being revamped and the united states Is responsible the government in washington from the time when the very word royalty was anathema has not cared for kings and queens it that the animosity of early days survived indefinitely after john bull and cousin jonathan made up it was and is a mere matter of facilities the way our government is set up domestically you might say we really have no provisions for entertaining royalty and where else can you put a king or a queen or a royal prince or princess you have to be hospitable pi table presidents dont have palaces and until the present regime few even had a country house to offer that is one difficulty another Is tle the question of protocol there are certain forms and ceremonies that kings and queens are used to at home hom and everybody even a democratic nation wants to make guests feel at home many of these ceremonies ordinarily accorded royalty at home dont fit in very well with democratic traditions but in these days kings and queens and princes feel they simply imply have to come to the united states and pay their respects and sell themselves and their countries to the american people we are pretty important as a nation we will be important aft eythe war t too 0 0 the result is that kings and queens have had to revise a lot of their habits habits which they probably dont enjoy but which are or have been demanded of loyal subjects everywhere what is the use of having a king if you dont treat him like one and if he treat you the way you think you ought to be treated by your ruler del gratia BRIEFS by baukhage in italy the government has announced that it would pay a premium to all farmers who delivered their wheat before july 10 and a lower premium to those delivering before september 15 the war production board estimates that probably more than two billion pounds of fat go fio to waste in american kitchens every year |