Closer by a GASPKONG

The Russians announced that on the Moscow front they had recaptured the towns of "K," "A," and "O." They said they had penetrated the outskirts of "G." They had driven the Germans from "G" and "S." Unfortunately they had lost "N" to the enemy. A huge battle raged at "P."

Even when this alphabet soup ceased to be dished up, and names emerged, the outside world was not sure just what was going on before Moscow. The Germans, it seemed, had reached Tula, Kalinin, Serpukhov, Maloyaroslavets, Volokolamsk, Mozhaisk. This was as obscure as the alphabet: what did it mean? It meant that the Germans had reached points no miles, 95, 70, 65, 62, 60 miles from the capital. They were edging. The closer they got to the city, the harder the going was. Still, they got closer.

The peculiar problem last week was mud. The snow of previous weeks had suddenly been melted by downpours of rain.

Roads, in turn, melted into the fields beside them. "The picture before the German troops," said a Berlin spokesman, "is that of one great indivisible quagmire." But mud gave the Russians only a breather. Soon the mud would either dry or freeze. German tanks would soon be as deadly as .ever. This week the ground seemed to be firming; the Germans seemed to be preparing a great new offensive.

Inside Moscow, there was only confidence. Life did not go on quite as usual, but it went on. A new musical comedy opened in the city, with two showings a day--at noon and 3:30. Every morning a broadcaster could be heard shouting cheerily: "Stand up straight: take a deep breath: touch your toes: stand up straight: take a deep . . ."--calisthenics broadcast especially to Siberians, who might one day need their strength.

The business of defense went on. Preparations were made to mine all important buildings, to burn many others. Even the German news agency D.N.B. said: "Every house in the Soviet capital is being turned into a fortress."

Neutral observers both in and out of Russia grew more sanguine. From inside Russia Correspondent Philip Jordan cabled the London News Chronicle: "If Hitler ever sits in the Kremlin as anything but a prisoner, I will eat the fur hat I bought yesterday."

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