Incompactness in regular cardinals (Q1821773)

First, the author makes some remarks concerning the very general situation presented by \textit{S. Shelah} in ''A compactness theorem in singular cardinals, for algebras, Whitehead problem, and transversals'' [Isr. J. Math. 21, 319-349 (1975; Zbl 0369.02034)]. Then it is shown that if there is a graph of size \(\lambda\), with uncountable coloring number, but every smaller subgraph has countable coloring number, then some tree- combinatorial principles hold and vice versa. A similar analysis is given for the transversal problem. The following are equivalent: (a) There is a family of \(\lambda\) countable sets with no transversal but every smaller subfamily has a transversal. (b) There is an Abelian group of size \(\lambda\) which is \(\lambda\)-free but not free. (c) There is a family F of countable sets with no transversal, but every smaller subfamily has a well-ordering \(F'=\{A_{\alpha}:\alpha <\beta \}\) such that \(A_{\alpha}-\cup \{A_{\gamma}:\gamma <\alpha \}\neq \emptyset\). (d) (A. Mekler) Same, but F' has a disjoint refinement \(B_{\alpha}\subseteq A_{\alpha}\), \(| B_{\alpha}| =\omega\) \((\alpha <\beta)\). Some general remarks are given for families of larger sets.