The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-17

The exetnt to which Germany is
armed and on a virtual war basis
is difficult for anyone on this side
of the Atlantic to conceive, ac-
cording to confidential reports re-
ceived here. No secret is made
Of this fact by the Germans, prob
ably because Of the psychological
effect it will have on their enc
mics.
Not long ago General Vuillemon,
chief Of the French air corps, in
spected Germany's air force. The
Nazis appeared to be completely
above-board with him, took him
all through their factories, showed
the quantity of planes they were
manufacturing.
Flabbergasted by Germany's
air strength, Vuillemon after
wards reported to Premier Da-
Ladder that the Germans must
be making planes for export
that they were manufacturing
far too many for domestic use
alone. He estimated that the
German army was equipped with
at least 1000 fighting machines.
Although General Goering prob
ably exaggerated when he boosted
Of Germany's ample food supplies,
confidential reports do indicate
that the NaziS are sufficiently
prepared to risk war of moder-
ate duration.
Grain and oil have been COM
ing in from Rumania and Jugosla-
via in tremendous quantities, to-
gether with various other raw ma
terials. Obviously the Nazis are not
going to make the same mistake
they did in 1914 regarding sup
plies.
Last winter, when Hitler reor-
ganized the army's high command
and appointed as chief Of staff a
mediocre general who previously
was in charge Of pots and pans"
the move was interpreted as a
slap at other general staff men,
bers. Now, however. 1t looks as II
Hitler might have wanted a man
In command who would concen-
trate on the accumulation Of vast
war reserves. Anyway he now has
those reserves.
BRITISH FOOD
Reactions to Germany's war
threats are Numerically opposite
in France and Great Britain.
The French are taking the mat
ter with relative stoicism, have
expected for sometime that they
would have to fight Germany, be-
lieve the date cannot be postponed
much longer.
The British, however, are
panic stricken, especially MEM
bers Of the Cabinet. Chief rea-
son for British terror Is their
food supply. II is sufficient to
last only five weeks, meanwhile
the wartime problem Of shipping
food to Britain has become In
creasingIy difficult.
REASON is that in wartime,
the Mediterranean would virtual
ly disappear as a highway for
British shipping. The strength
of the Italian navy, especially
Of italian submarines, would re-
quire the complete abandonment
Of the Mediterranean as a trade
route. Instead, British shipping
from India, China and Australia
would take the long haul around
the continent of Africa.
SECOND, the Pacific also would
almost disappear as far as Bril-
fish shipping is concerned, due to
the strength Of the Japanese fleet
in that area.
FINALLY, the British would
have much more difficulty than
ever in protecting their merchant
shipping in the Atlantic, due first
to the tremendous number OF
Italian and German submarines,
and second TO the danger of at
tacks from the air.
The latter is an enemy which
British shipping did not have to
worry about In 1914. But the sue
cess of German and Italian planes
in sinking more than so British
ships off Spanish coasts on behalf
of General Franco now gives the
British pause before they make
assurances to Czechoslovakia and
France regarding war in Europe.
The Italians and Germans be-
tween them have total Of 172
submarines, far more, and far
more effective than the old
fashioned U-boats operated by
Germany in 1914.
German naval tactics are not to
venture outside the Baltic, but to
use the German fleet to convoy
German troops TO Kronstadt in
the Gulf Of Finland for an at
tack upon Leningrad. This would
help to divert the Russians from
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