SECOND FRONT HELD FEASIBLE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 19, 17 October 1942, Page 7

SECOND FRONT HELD FEASIBLE

Willkie Maintains Stand WASHINGTON, October 15. “A second front is feasible and possible,” said Mr. Wendell Willkie after he had reported to President Roosevelt on the results of his mission abroad. “I said it in Moscow, and I say it again today.” He added that the President had described as “entirely w r rong repotts that he had criticized Mr. Willkie’s second front' statements. “I based my appeal for a second front on my talks with generals in. all countries and on the recommendations of military leaders in Britain, Russia, China, and the United States,” Mr. Willkie said. He declined to say whether M. Stalin would be satisfied if a second front in Europe were delayed till next jear. He added that Germany would never conquer Russia. After a few days’ rest, he.said, he would make careful and crystal-clear reports to the American people. “I do know, because I discovered at first hand, that a lot of us, including public officials, will have to stretch our muscles and minds before we win, he said. . , Expressing confidence in an Allied victory Mr.-Willkie said: “We have the power and the resources on our side. I am chiefly concerned over . the cost, not in money, but in human lives and human values, and whether we are going to win the peace.” Air Force Obstacle.

"The European theatre of war will remain an air theatre till lie have secured superiority over the German Air Force and paralysed the German aircraft production,” Captain Rickenbacker (American air ace in the last war, and now a leading aircraft manufacturer) reported to the War Department after a survey trip to the European front. He added: “The total German Air Force does not exceed 4700 combat planes, a very small percentage of which are bombers. It would, nevertheless, be a mistake to conclude that Nazi air power is decreasing. Avniie the British and American bombers may have crippled German aircraft production, the Germans may be working feverishly on planes of a new design in order to offset the air superiority, which at present is definitely on the Allies’ side. "The trend is entirely in our favour. Unquestionably we will win the the only question is how soon.* Me are bound to suffer losses, even great losses, before the conquest of Germany is completed.” Round-tlie-Clock Attack.

Captain Rickeubacker told the Department that the fog of confusion regarding the respective qualities ot Butish and American fighter planes was rapidly disappearing. The fact that American pilots in England flew bpitlires was widely misinterpreted as meaning that the American lighters were inferior. "The facts are that the pilots flew Spitfires because Spitfires were available,” he said. "Thus American fighters, instead of going to England, could be sent elsewhere.” The British were continuing the production of long-range night bombers, and British night-bombing and American daytime precision-bombing would complement each other into a round-the-clock bombardment in which the day bombers would serve as the pathfinders, setting lire to enemy targets to provide beacons 'for the night bombers.

Captain Rickenbacker said ho found that England had mobilized ail her resources for victory, anil employed all her manpower and womanpower in tiie war effort. He concluded, “From our standpoint, the picture is as bright and as grim ti portrait of war as could be.”