The Dominion FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1942. A NATIONAL TESTING-TIME

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 259, 31 July 1942, Page 4

The Dominion FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1942. A NATIONAL TESTING-TIME

In his references on Wednesday night to agitation in Britain and elsewhere lor the immediate opening of a European “second front,” the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall. expressed the feelings of most thinking people in this country. “We all want to help the gallant Russians,” he said, “but a mere invasion of Europe would not help them. It must be a successful invasion, and who but our leaders can judge how and when a successful attack can be launched ?’ Here, in a few words, is the common-sense, realistic view of an.admittedly very trying situation. A premature and therefore abortive attempt to relieve pressure on the Russians by an offensive launched across the Channel or North Sea' would not only fail to relieve Russia’s present crisis, but might also be.a calamity to the anti-Axis cause as a whole. The peoples of the democracies, who are not in possession of vital strategic facts —and cannot be given that knowledge—must wait with patience while those entrusted with leadership bide their time. This waiting in good heart is a task and test for the nations.

As Sir Cyril emphasized, the encouragement of mass agitation, precariously based on the most superficial knowledge of events — and in complete ignorance of matters indirectly vital to so vast an enterprise as an invasion of occupied Europe—could become something more serious than mere foolishness or irresponsibility. It could be disloyal and damaging. Nothing is more essential to the Allied cause at the, present crucial stage of the world war than unity, to* gether with the concentration of attention and effort on the particular tasks confronting us now. To look ahead with judgment is good, but it ceases to be good if it becomes a distraction from the duties of today. All the talk in the world will not hasten the moment when Allied armies can combine advantageously with their air forces in intensifying the assault on Nazi strongholds. Production —tlie accumulation of armaments and war supplies, and the training of men. These things will hasten the day. And the efficiency of the free nations in creating offensive strength depends very largely at such a time as this upon the determination and self-discipline of individual citizens.

Russia is experiencing the blackest days of the present summer. Her territorial and material losses (referred to elsewhere in this column) are serious, though—to judge from preparations made by the Republics during the past year—they have not yet extended beyond the sturdy reckoning of Russian leaders. Furthermore the scene is constantly .changing. In the last 24 hours signs have been noticed of a stiffening of resistance and the concentration of fresh defending troops in strong new positions. ,The summer is not yet out, but only a few more weeks remain, and the Red Army is sub--stantially intact, fighting a steady rearguard action, grimly expensive to an enemy who is now deeply into Russian territory and heavily committed in men and material. In such circumstances the wisdom of waiting for the right occasion to present itself before launching a great diversion should not be difficult to appreciate. Such a move may decide the final course of the war, and it must not be fumbled or stampeded.