  A competition of the low-energy Coulomb excitation (CE) with the compound
nucleus (CN) formation in $\alpha$-induced reactions below the Coulomb barrier
has been assumed by Rauscher [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 061104 (2013)] in order to
use the same optical model (OM) potential for description of the latter and the
alpha-particle emission as well. In this Comment we show that the corresponding
partial waves and integration radii provide evidence for the distinct account
of the CE cross section and OM total-reaction cross section.
