EUROPE NOW

A useful birdseye view of five weeks in Europe, which will find a larger market on the strength of the traveler's name (and radio fame) than on the quality of the writing or the challenge of the material, which somehow lacks the color, the humanity that characterises most correspondents' stories today....Kaltenborn went by air to Italy, where he etches a picture of devastation, poverty, mishandling of civilian needs for which blame goes equally to UNRRA And AMG. He talked to key people, -- the Pope, Count forsa, Prince Humbert, and both Generals Alexander and Clark. He gives a brief glimpse of what life is like today in Rome -- shows Florence relatively unscarred -- acknowledges the stalemate of the Italian campaign but hopes that with the advance of the British 8th Army, the American 5th can move faster...Next France, making rapid recovery, with Paris still holding its chic, with varied entertainment, reasonable comfort, and a more encouraging report on control over our enfringement on the rights of the French than others have given. Black market problems -- particularly in food and cigarettes -- stressed everywhere. Criticism directed towards unjustified complaints as to prices. Tribute to de Gaulle and what he has achieved...Then the Western Front, sketchily, with something of the experiment in German reestablishment of civilian government in Aachen, with caustic comments on too rosy a picture of our cost in men with bits about German prisoners, hospitals, currency problems, conditions of travel, collaborationists, etc...Next Belgium, with more emphasis on political problems; Holland, and her terrible losses; Landon, and the Labor Party strength, and in closing, a glimpse of the 8th Air Force base and General Doolittle. Mr. Kaltenborn draws a few conclusions at the close, and voices some warnings.