BY W. $.

(August 22, 1940) ~ 'N Intensive air offensives on both Idea have tired the German and British fliers who welcome the lull in the fighting that has continued unto its fourth day . The most significant features of the past two weeks of intensive fighting have been (1) the failure of the first Qerman attempt to smash the British air force and (2) the collapse of the German hope that bombing attacks on Britain would put an end to destructive British air raids on German centres. The honors, therefore, rest with the A .A .F ., which has fought the much-touted Luftwaffe to a standstill. The enemy now will have to begin sll over again . This is the first time that an aerial offensive ordered by Hitler has failed . Europe and America are surprised by the results. Nations that are straddling the political

The War Reviewed

ikely Germany has lost a total of 6,000 planes and 12,000 fliers since the war began, enough to stagger the largest of air forces . Shelled a Convoy The Germans today used heavy . artillery or the French shore to shell a British convoy moving eastward through the Straits of Dover . The most interesting part oY the story is that the British still are sending merchant ships through the narrow water channel and that teday the Germans did not use bombing planes in an attack on the convoy until it had passed the straits. The enemy sent up a scouting plane to direct artillery fire, but it was chased off. Small British craft put up a smoke screen that facilitated the escape of the convoy. The heavy German guns could be used to protect troops crossing to invade Britain . The use of them now against ships, giving away their secret, seems to increase

and-run attacks by lone planes or` small squadrons. A quick victory is not to be had that way. Balkans A Hot Spot A better division of the Balkans may come out of the present war situation . Bulgaria should receive the lower Dobrudja, as planned by ' Russia and Germany and often favored by Britain ; an exchange of population with the upper Dobrudja, which will continue part of Rumania, is desirable. A settlement of Hungary's claim to Transylvania on a somewhat similar basis, also, would be an improvement. Hungary is asking too much but might well be given a strip of territory from which Rumanians should be removed. Perhaps the same reasoning could be applied to Albania's demands on Greece if Albania were an indepen- ~ dent country, Some of the terri-~ Tory claimed has s majority of Albanians . Italy is putting Albanians up to demand this territory and fabricating stories of persecution, Italy has no right in Albania herself. Nor has she a legitimate claim to the island of Corfu and to Greek territory opposite on the mainland. The odds are that she is intent on picking a quarrel with Greece . A British spokesman at Athens definitely states t-hat Britain will go to the help of Greece if she resists an Italian advance. Turkey and Russia may give similar assurances and Bulgaria, possibly be drawn in on their side along with Yugoslavia. The Italians have built many airdromes in Albania, a tiny country, for offensive reasons . It is reported that Greeks in Crete have destroyed the Italian consulate

fence in awe of the power of Ger-' the doubt that an invasion is about many can scarcely believe their to be attempted . Two bombers that eyes. They are still looking . Hitler attacked the convoy in the North must change the result, one way Sea were shot down . or another, or suffer a disastrous One Convoy Bombed loss of prestige at home and abroad . The shelling of the convoy conGales Are Coming tinued as it passed along the EngHaving failed in his first attempt, lish coast all the way from FolkeIt suffered no will Hitler try again? The prevail- stone to Dover. Another convoy on the ing view in Hritain among the losses. people and in official circles is that northeast coast was bombed but he will. If he does, he must do so, the raiders were driven off appar- I in this writer's opinion, within the er)tly before much harm had been next two weeks because gales anQ done. During the lull in the air variable tides that may be expected fighting the British are repairing within a month would imperil airfields, factories, ports and lines invading forces not well established of communications . The improveon British territory in the mean- ment in their defences to the time. Hitler would have to give period of quiet should be more himself at least two weeks' leeway . important than any improvement' The next time he must not start that can be made in the disposition anything that he cannot see and tactics of the German alr through to a victorious conclusion force. Britain has measured the in short order . Unless his guiding enemy and is more confident than genius fails him, he will refrain ever that she can "take him" . from beginning a second attack Neutral experts, who had conthat he is not positive will place sidered Germany invincible, now Britain under his heel . The experi- give Britain a 50-50 chance of savences of the last fortnight ought to ing ~hersflf . ' Germ Wy is using the convince him that he can't knock lull to improve Iter safeguards for out the R .A .F., and that a successful civilians against bombing attacks. l, invasion is impo~ible until he has In this respect she was very knocked out the R .A .F. deficient because she did not believe Failure of a stronger German any enemy could make successful attack on Hritain, ii it failed, raids against her mighty air force. might so weaken the Hitler air Betlin claims that seven British force that Germany would be tut- planes were shot down over Britain able to protect herself during the yesterday and admits the loss of long winter nights against Hritish six German planes . The T.ondon bombing raids . The petering out report says that from 10 to 15 of the first great mass aerial oiien- enemy planes were shot down and sive against Britain gives an only one British plane lost. The irrefutable answer to the question enemy states that he attacked 15 whether the British or the German British airdromes and industrial official communiques about plane works at Skegness, Great Yarlosses are telling the truth . The mouth, Witney, Coventry, BourneGerman communiques have been mouth, Bridlington and Southampfabrications. ton, also a plane factory southeast Won't Be Caught Nappinr of London and an arms factory Whatever Hitler may do, Britain near Brighton . These were hitwill not be caught napping. Sinclair . her air minister, fs warning against any feeling of complacency . He says, what possibly some of his listeners do not wish to hear, that : "The future may well hold for us far greater ordeals than any through which we have yet passed. Only a small traction of the Germans' heavy bomber force has yet been engaged :' He thought it was possible, however, that ii Britain relaxed none of her preparations, Hitler might recoil from launching an attack . He was confident the attack would be defeated if it came. Britain then would sally Yorth from her fortress and seek to cleanse the continent of Europe from the stain and horror of gangster rule . A point worthy of comment in Mr. Sinclair's statement is that he ~, did not say Germany had used only' a small fraction of her bombers but a small traction of her heavy bombers. The heavy bombers range far and wide and carry large crews . sparingly, Germany used them probably, because when one of them is shot down five or six fliers are lost . They are more readily brought down than Stuka dive bombers and light and medium bombers. It is probable that Hitler has made up his losses of bombing planes, but if he has lost 1 .5W of his best fliers during the last two weeks and pussibly twice that number, it may ne qucstioned whether he can afford to make much stronger attacks . He must have calculated daringly when he told off the number of planes to be used in his first attempt to crush the R.A.F . Not un-