VICTORY THIS YEAR DOUBTED

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 108, 1 February 1943, Page 5

VICTORY THIS YEAR DOUBTED

(Received January 31, 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, January 30. The former United States Ambassador Io Russia, Mr. Joseph Davies, said he doubled if the United Nations would smash Hitler this year. Germany would light on to the bitter end. Tlie 'Nazis’ future strategy would be two-fold: First, they would fight a delaying action in North Africa, gaining time for the reorganization of their industries and war machine; and, secondly, they would build up a new Siegfried Line in tlie south. “’['here io also a possibility of a German drive for the Baku oilfields and thence to Afghanistan in the hope of effecting a junction witli the Japanese at the Persian Gulf,” Mr. Davies said. Questioned as to why M. Stalin was not present at tlie Casablanca Conference, Mr. Davies said, “It is clear that lie was not. present, but it. is not clear that lie was not represented. Indeed. I assume he was represented, but he could not take his hand from the throttle of the war machine for one minute. Furthermore, the Russians tire good poker players, and if I were Stalin I would not give away my band either.”