mung will lend ald in the shape of aeroplanes and men, Hitler may be able {o send the former to Libya, but the task of transporting.
riy substantial numbers of men and their equipment across the Mediterranean, which the British Navy comes and goes at its own sweet will, will indeed be a dim cult tone, and. very expensive in lives. This lat~ {er is not likely to deler Hitler who has not the slightest regard for the sanctity of human life and will feed it recklessly to the cannon if he fancies he sees the remotest possibility success. On the other hand he is just as likely to leave aly to stew In her own north African grease, and devote his atten tion to the Balkans, where, judging {com all reports available, early developments may bbe expected, Recent troop movements in Rumania sugest that Germany is planning to occupy Bulgaria—that country apparently does not find itself in any position to resist—for the purpose of striking at Greece and ultimately at Asia Minor. Hitler is in search of oil.
The Rumanian supplies of which he now has complete control are not sufficient to repair the enormous wastage that modern mechan-faed warfare entails. That coming from Russia, it any at all, must be extremely small, and the Iraq oilfields with the pipe-Hines to Tripoli and Haifa must be Hitler's ultimate objective. 1 is that the Caticasian deposits offer Hitler much attraction, firstly because Russia needs. all she can obtain from them for her own creasing industry. and secondly because it would tindoubtedly involve a tussle with the Soviet should any attempt be made to grab them. Tt is at present no part of Hitler's policy to aggravate Russia, and the fact that the latter has permitted actions which completely destroy her influence in the Balkans suggests that Hitler has succeeded in finding Stalin recompense in other directions pos-ably at the expense of Rumania and Finland.
But to reach the fraq oilfields Hitler has to cross Turkey. It is very doubtful indeed whether even with the good emees of the Soviet, Hiller will be able to persuade the 'Turks' to grant him free passage, for the 'Turkish Government fully realizes' Hitlerian technique, and completely understands that fence Germany ix allowed a foothold in Turkey the effort to throw her out would have to be i great one indeed. Failing peaceful methods Hitler may seek to secure Russian assistance against Turkey by dan-ling before the Soviet the prospect of command of the Dardanelles. With all Stalin's cynicism it is doubtful whether he would consent to a course of action which would make Germany supreme throughout the Balkans, bring her into Turkey and thus greatly extend the long line of menace which Germany already possesses from the Baltic in the north to the Turkish-Caucasian border.
Prima facie the Iraq oilficld seems to be the logical immediate objective, for though it has not yet been fully developed, it is believed to be one of the richest in the world and at any rate sufficient to supply all Germany's needs. But Germany will have to do a great deal of fighting before she secures and the question utises as to whether in making the attempt Hitler will not stick his head out too far. If he does the lot of Murshal Graziani will undoubtedly be his.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.