Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1940. ALTERNATIVE AGGRESSION.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 October 1940, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1940. ALTERNATIVE AGGRESSION.

* WITH their hopes of invading Britain fading away, if indeed they have not been abandoned finally, Hitler and his Nazi gangsters no doubt are anxious to make the most, as an alternative" of a drive by way of the Balkans into the Near and Middle East The possibility of their undertaking this enterprise has been in plain sight since the war began, but the conditions m which it would be undertaken are far from having been made clear in all their details. That there are rich prizes to be striven for in the campaign now taking preliminary shape m Rumania and elsewhere is obvious. In the hope of gaining control or the oilfields of Iraq and Iran, the Nazis no doubt are. willing' to put forth great military efforts and to take considerable risks. Securing a passage through the Balkans and overcoming the opposition of Turkey, the Axis Powers would strengthen their position in many ways. Not only would they have prospects of obtaining the increased supplies of oil they need so badly, but they would establish a new and formidable threat, to the British forces in Egypt and Palestine. With Turkey defeated, Syria no doubt would be gathered! m easily and it would then be open to Germany to launch an invasion ot Palestine from the north, co-ordinated with the Italian movement from Libya. From the enemy’s standpoint, the key to these advantages and to the vital accompanying change that would be involved in the whole strategical position on lam and sea and in the air, in and around the Eastern Mediterranean, is possession of the Turkish Straits- the Dardanelles and the Bosphorous.

The weight of current opinion both in London and in Ankara apparently is that the Nazis are intent on a resolute effort to seize that key, but whether they have any real prospect, of doing so is as yet an entirely open question. So far as a passage through the Balkans is concerned, it is now clear that Rumania is completely at the disposal of the Axis and it seems rather probable that the Bulgarian Government is prepared to follow Rumania’s example. The ability of Greece to withstand an Axis invasion may be rather doubtful.

Against these factors in their favour, however, the Axis Powers have to reckon not only with British forces in the Near and Middle East, but with the stout opposition of Turkey. Moreover, it seems rather early to assume that Russia is prepared to stand idly by while Axis overlordship in the Balkans is established and confirmed. It has been suggested by the London “Times” that the Germans no doubt are “offering Russia other spheres of influence in exchange for relaxation of the traditional Russian policy regarding the safety of the Dardanelles,” but just how an offer in these terms is to be made attractive to Russia is not easily to be imagined. Since the war began, Russia has watched carefully over her own interests, from the Baltic to the Balkans, and an extraordinary lapse into credulity would be implied if she were now willing to rely instead, at any point, on Nazi offers and promises.

Apart from some indications that have appeared of a good understanding between the Soviet and Turkey in regard to the safeguarding of the Straits, two items of news,from Washington are of some interest in this connection. One of them states that the United States has released for export to Russia machine tools to a value of seven million dollars, hitherto held up under an export embargo and the other that approval has been given of the chartering by Russia of a number of American tankers. In view of the American policy of aid to Britain —a policy affirmed more emphatically than ever by President Roosevelt in his latest speech—it is unlikely that the transactions mentioned would have been approved in Washington had it been thought that the Soviet was likely to be a consenting party to Axis aggression in and through the Balkans.

While these aspects of the position have their interest, and importance, it is, of course, upon the fighting power of Britain, with her Empire and Allied helpers, and upon that of her pledged ally, Turkey, that hopes of rolling back Axis aggression in or beyond South-Eastern Europe must most vitally depend. The position from this standpoint is not, perhaps, as favourable in some respects as it was when the Anglo-French Army of the Orient was organised in the early days of the war to cope with any aggression the enemy might attempt in the Near or Middle East. Britain, however, has built up her naval, land and air forces in the Eastern Mediterranean and is by no means unprepared for such developments as may now be in prospect. Turkey has a million men under arms and is capable of adding considerably to that number and no reason appears for doubting that she will be a valuable and a dependable ally.

Though the interests to be defended in the Near and Middle East are from Britain’s standpoint great and vital, it is and seems likely to remain a commanding fact of the war that in the crucial theatre, affairs visibly are going badly with Germany. All her attacks on Britain thus far have broken down in failure and, although it is contended wisely in the United Kingdom that the threat of invasion is not over, Germany’s hopes of launching a successful invasion obviously are not improving. At the same time, Germany is being subjected, in her home territory and in occupied territories, to increasingly powerful and effective attack by air. There is every reason to believe that this attack will be developed with more and more damaging effect whatever may befall in other theatres of war. Thus, although from the Nazi standpoint there is much to be striven for in the Near and Middle East, Germany has good reason to ponder whether she can afford to dissipate in any distant theatre forces which may be needed vitally before long to defend the heart and centre of her military power.

DENTAL CLINIC LEEWAY.

JT has been emphasised pointedly of late' that Masterton is lagging behind the rest of the Dominion where utilisation of the excellent Dental Clinic service for schools is concerned and it may be hoped that at the meeting of school committee delegates to be held in the Lansdowne School this evening, effective preliminary action will be taken towards establishing a more creditable state of affairs. The only difficulty involved is that of overcoming apathy, principally on the part of a ])roportion of parents, and so of ensuring that full advantage is taken .of a service which has an extremely important bearing on the present and future health and welfare of children attending school. All concerned should be more than eager to do their part in lifting the reproach that rests on this district, as compared with other parts of New Zealand, where the Dental Clinic service is concerned. Declaring, in a recent address, that there were defects of organisation in the conduct of the service in Masterton and that there was at present a lack of personal contact between those concerned and the parents, Air A. I). Brice, Director of Dental Hygiene, added that;—

The system of dental treatment was not a question of having to pay. The charge of 5s was not a tenth of the low running cost per child treated. The present system in Masterton was not even 50 per cent efficient and there was a strong educational aspect to the treatment. Efficiency was lost with the loss of patients.

The essential objects of the meeting to be held tonight are to obtain an increase in the proportion of the children taking advantage of the Dental Clinic service and to obtain an increase in the number of parents actively interested in the prevention of dental disease. At the meeting the foundations of a heller and more effective organisation no doubt will be laid, but the final word is with parents. Their active interest and sympathy are essential if the dental clinics are to serve in full measure their altogether admirable and valuable purpose.