HIGHLIGHTS from THE CABLES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 10, 12 January 1940, Page 7

HIGHLIGHTS from THE CABLES

WARPLANES OVER BRITAIN

ONCE again Gocring's reconnaissance 'planes have been busy over the east coast of Britain, attempting to spy out the land and give their master the information he so badly needs if lie is really in earnest about mass raiding. A Great War aviator himself, Goering knows that haphazard mass bombing of Britain is impracticable, and he has no doubts about the awful odds which must face any attacker of the British Isles. Bombing a heavily-defended island that possesses some of the world's finest aircraft would involve great hazards and almost certainly tremendous losses. Germany cannot afford to lose 'planes or pilots in large numbers.

Armadas of the air are as impracticable as the one that Drake overwhelmed. If 900 or 1000 Nazi warplanes came over in Close formation they might fend otf by concentrated fire most of the British fighters sent up to stop them. But they would be the easiest of all

SCANDINAVIANS SEE THE LIGHT.

Extremely gratifying to Britain must be the unmistakable signs that at long last the neutral (Scandinavian States are realising that they cannot afford to play the game the German way. Traditionally rather friendly towards the Reicli, trie Swedes, Norwegians and Danes have the example of Finland so close to them that they cannot afford to ignore it. By her action in holding up Italian munitions destined for the Finns, Germany showed where her sympathies lay, and the virulent Press campaign directed against the Scandinavians in reeent weeks has had the opposite etfect to that Which was Goebbels' intention. The Norwegians and Swedes have tremendous national spirit, and they will resist aggression just as Finland is resisting. When the Swedish defence estimates Were approved for 1038-39 it was intended to spend something over £13,000,000. Now" it is revealed that the actual expenditure was in the region of £58,000,000.

targets for anti-aircraft gunners. To miss their fire, which to-day is so power ful that it can disable a machine e>en Without a direct hit, the raiders would have to fly in scattered formation. Anrl this Mould make them the type of quarry that R.A.F. pilots dream about, li they sought safety irt thousands 6f feet their bombing sights would be almost Useless, and the chance of hitting any chosen target negligible. In Britain's case the advantage lies with the defence.

Goering knows all this, and that i* why his war birds have been photographing, mapping, testing the defences and generally gaining experience. Evt*n more potent defence than the R.A.F. and the anti-aircraft gunners is the blocka'le of German}'. Every day it becomes more difficult to replace lost machines, and Goering could not expect many pats <.n the back if his armada suffered the fate of the Spaniards and had little more tn show for its sacrifices.

The speod-up in Swedish defence preparations began last July, and it can be seen that the Government is in earnest. Before the Moscow pact the Baltic was generally regarded as likely to becme a German lake in war time, but the effect of the Soviet successes in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania changed all that. It would be as disastrous for Germany should Russia gain control of Sweden and Norway as for the Swede? atid Norwegians themselves, and If there seemed any likelihood of that happening Hitler could be expected to follow the example of the Soviet in the rase of Poland. Also disastrous from Hitltv"-

point of view will be any cutting down of Swedish exports of raw material.*. Latest reports indicate that there is strong feeling that the anti-Scandin'avhiii Press campaign is part of the war of nerves, and not the prelude to invasion Perhaps it is, but the Swedes and Norwegians are taking no chances.