The past week has seen a continuance of the Intensive struggle between the Germans and the Russians, and though the third German. onslaught on the Russian positions'has Rot yet been brought to an end, there is every Yeason to believe that the Russians are holding their positions, and, where they are not doing that, are "greatly retarding the ig reported that the are gradually closing in on Leningrad, but they: have not yet succeeded {in investing the elly which is being put into a slate of defence which indicates that, the Germans will have to fight every street of that important city, which its inhabitants have determined to defend to the very last. The claim has been made by the Germans: that they have cut the Leningrad-Moscow railway, and from the map it would not seem 10 be at-all unlikely though the Russians have made no admission in this respect. up' {o the present. Neither, it may be remarked in, passing, have they conceded other claims which the Germans have put forward and until they do.-make such" concessions. the German allegations may be regarded with' suspicion.
Kony appears to be persisting in his ce the contre of the long front General Sitensive which has brought him back #9 the Suburbs of Gomel,_a. town which has been Ditterly contested for some days past, and Which the Germans would greatly ko to hold as opening the way for further advance towards Moscow. Pierce balties are reported In progress around Odessa which the Russians will continue to defend in exactly the same manner as they contemplate, with regard to Leningrad, while it is believed that] tthe Germans succeed in reaching Kiev, the same procedure will be adopted. Apart} from these towns few localities are mentioned in the communiques of either side. That Goes not mean that there is at present any Jul in the operations. but rather that both sides are locked in a. desperate struggle the results of which have not yet been made manifest. One. interesting feature is the Russian. counter-stroke In the region Novgorod, which, if it proves, successful, would drive a wedge between the German troops in Estonia and Latvia and impede the drive towards Leningrad, The main feature of last week was the combined occupation of Iran by British and Hussian forces, the establishment of a new! Tran Government and the decision to offer further resistance to the invasion, That! was indeed a wise step, for there could have] een no doubt as to what would have been he outcome of fighting. The Iranians were completely outclassed "and outnumbered by the forces which could be used against them. It'is satisfactory-to note that the assurances which both Britain and the Soviet have given to Turkey appear to have allayed any anxiety' which might have been felt regarding the' neutrality and territorial Integrity of that country. At any rate for the time being the Germans have been unsuccessful in inducing Turkey to come into the war on their side, and, if reports to the effect that von, Papen be replaced as ambassador to. Turkey prove to be true, it will amount to a con fession that he has failed to carry out the! policy of his master at Ankara.
'The Battle of the Atlantic still continu though there is evidence available to show that conditions. have considerably. improved and that fewer British and Allied ships are falling victims ta. the Nazis' aeroplane submarine blockade. Much has still to be Gone, but there are indications that' the situation ig being brought under control, and that the danger to shipping is not what was a comparatively short while ago. With regard to the problems in the Pacific, it is now admitted that conversations have bean proceeding in Washington, but that they have been purely exploratory, and it would he premature at this juncture to think that any tangible result is likely to be seen quickly. All that can be said ig that, while these conversations. are. proceeding there appears to have been no worsening of the situation, though it may be too much to expect great improvement in. the relations between. the United States and Japan, because. the two nations are so far apart in their ideas re~ garding' the position' of each other in the: western Pacife,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.