Support for Russia
The announcement of the names of the American delega- tion to the Three-Power Conference at Moscow, coupled with the anouncement that Lord Beaverbrook will head the British delegation, is the more welcome in that it is distinctly belated. It is close on four weeks since the suggestion of the conference was made to M. Stalin, and immediately accepted. It might have been hoped that steps would be taken within a matter of days, if not of hours, to get the personnel of the British and American delegations appointed, and such instructions as were necessary drafted. At a time when we can by the nature of things give Russia little direct military help it is of the utmost importance that we should lose no opportunity of demonstrating the promptitude with which we are ready to act in her support by other methods. Russia's morale remains admirable, but everything that can be done to strengthen it must be, for there are weeks of heavy strain ahead. _Precisely how serious the various dangers are at the moment 01 wrj • is not easy to determine in view of the scantiness of eft news, whether Russian or German. Both in the Ukraine on the Smolensk front the Russians appear to be holding R. and somewhere between Smolensk and Kiev pailice successful Russian counter-attacks are reported. The Le, grad situation is the most critical, but German claims to ha got within fifteen miles of the city have clearly no founded, But the emergency measures being taken in the city prove the imminence of the danger. There is little pros of Leningrad being taken by assault, but its large popula would fare ill if the Germans succeeded in cutting its co munications and isolating it from supplies. Whatever hap here new developments may be looked for in the extr south, for Hitler will not—and perhaps cannot—abandon attempts on the oil of the Caucasus.
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