The Mena weekly star., 1917-05-10
U-DOATS SWARM IN BRITISH WATERS
Lie Along Sea Lanes in Regular Nests, Declare Survivors in Eng land-CommiSsioners Believe
 Can Be Overcome.

Washington, May 3.-Adminislra- ton officials today read with inter est a dispatch from London whicf said that American landed during the last few days from ships sanl by German submarines declare tha the waters about the British island: fairly swarm with U-Boats.
 inc captain of an American sail ing vessel which was sunk ten day: ago said. Submarines are lyine along the sea lanes in regular nests They keep we'll under the water most of the time, coming up now anc then for periscope observations or on hearing the approach of merch- ant craft, which often can be identi- fled readily by the sound of the en- zines. By thus conserving fuel, the submarines are able to remain away from their base a long time and alsC they find the means of renewing their stores from ships which they sink.
 The U-Boat which sank Us had been out for six weeks. She renewed all her supplies from our boat and took all the nautical instruments.'
 Three Submarines at Once.
 The survivors of one ship said that three submarines appeared at once alongside their ship. One was a submarine cruiser 300 feet lone and the other two were old fash toned submarines about i20 feet long,
 Another set of survivors said that the U-Boat which destroyed their ship was elaborately disguised as a fishing boat.
 Two of the crews landed were res cued from open boats by passing ships, only to have the ship on which they had taken refuge sunk by submarines.
 British Commissioners Hopeful.
 However, the British commission CTS here in Washington do not re- gard the submarine situation as in any sense fatal, altho they share the alarm of the American officials. They say that the submarine war will force the people of Britain to greater sacrifices, but they do not believe that 1t is certain to bring England to the point of starvation and compel the nation to seek peace from the Prussians. They believe that the ships, men and money which the United States will furnish will outweigh the submarine men ace.
 They say that England's situation is nothing as compared to that of Germany, which is carefully kept concealed from the world by the censorship. However, other matters considered by the commissioners here are being subordinated to the discussion of plans to meet the U- Boat war.
 One measure will be to stop the shipment to England of freight that is not necessary to the existence of the nation
 One great handicap is the total ig- n0rance of the number of submar- ines that Germany is able to turn out Admiral de Chair has estimated this at two or three a week, but many American officials believe that it is possible by using standard plans to turn out many more.
 Causes Great Suffering.
 The German U-Boat menace has made the food situation in Belgium and in northern France one of ex- treme gravity, the mortality among adults in the industrial districts having multiplied by three during March and April, according to Her. bert C. Hoover, who arrived here today from Europe on an American ship. MT. Hoover said he would go immediately to Washington to take charge of the government food con- trol program.
 The food situation in Belgium and northern France require every effort we can make said Mir. Hoo yer, who does not intend to relin- quish his position as head of the Belgian commission Since March we have lost five loaded boats, but in March and April 60,000 tons of foodstuifs were landed But this 60,000 tons was 220000 tons less than we actually required
 At this time we have only 30 boats We need 70n