Evening star., 1939-10-25
More Incidents Seen
Testing Patience Of
j. ). With Reich
Beginning Of War
In Earnest May Be
Waiting Embargo Debate
BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER,

by COI. FhEDEhISN PALMEh,
Noted Military Expert
IT may be that the beginning OF
"the war in earnest" waits on our
embargo debate. Anyhow, there is
no overlooking the fact that the
capture of the City of Flint by the
German cruiser Emden has a con-
crete relation to our congressional
and public discussions as how best
to keep out Of the war which
Joachim Won Ribbentrop, the Reichs
foreign minister, has just told us
Germany will make a fight to the
finish.
Mohe such incidents may be ex-
pected to test our patience and
diplomacy when Germany, which
has not the surface naval force to
face decisive battle, must con-
fine its naval action to undersea
and raider warfare.
Can the Emden repeat the exploit
OF her namesake, which, in 10 weeks
early in the World War, captured no
American ships. but did get 13 Brit
ish ships in Dutch East Indian
waters athWart the sea lane to Aus
tralla before British cruiser Sydney,
which out-gnned her, sent her
wreck in flames onto reef off CocoS
Island?
The Emden is fast, 90 knots. Ger
many has five other cruisers still
faster, 80 knots. Are they out, too?
And possibly also the three pocket
battleships, 26 knots? And even the
two newly completed first-class
battleships, 80 knots?
Would Be Taking Risk.
If so, and Admiral Raeder were
able to get them past the over
powering British battle fleet, he
would be risking the nucleus of his
surface navy as raiders. A number
OF the German cruisers may be in
hiding and inactive until the word
comes that they are to join in the
threatened smashing drive against
British sea power, with fresh burst
by the submarines and the wave
after wave" of bombers.
Without indulging in further spec
ulation, we do know the Emden is
out. Where does she get her oil?
From some tanker concealed in some
fjord in the little populated, bleak
northern coast of Scandinavia? Or
is Russia making an exception in
her neutrality for friend Reich in
this instance? Concealment for
the Emden, or any other German
cruiser at large, is favored by the
short winter days in the Far North.
Britain has at least 80 cruisers three
knots faster than the Emden and
with equal or superior gunpower.
Several are listed as half a knot
faster than the latest German
cruisers.
Question of Speed.
In a chase it would be the question
OF overtaking the German with
crushing blasts of fire before she
could disappear into the blackout of
the Arctic night or retreat into
neutral port for what might not be
1nternment if it were in the Rus
sion harbor of Murmansk. If Muir
mansk were not already frozen over,
the Russians might turn blind
eye to the Emden's exit to carry on
her warfare against merchant ships.
And the British might be gratified
If all the German ships were out, in
the confidence of eventually running
them down and wiping out the
whole German fleet.
AS a surface ship, the Emden was
quite within her rights in preventing
the City of Flint from delivering to
a British port goods on the German
contraband list, which is much the
same as the British and our own
against Germany in 1918 But when,
as reported, the Germans put a Ger
man crew on an American ship and
holsted a Nazi flag over her, that
Is, OF course, quite another matter,
subject to thorough investigation.
Watch Embargo Dispute.
All the European war leaders,
statesmen, generals, admirals and
supply chiefs are intensely, if covert
ly, watching the progress of the
embargo debate.
The Germans may hesitate, in
confederation of American senti-
ment, to endanger civil popula tions |
in bombing raids until they know
the result. Waiting on it may even
influence them in making an Of
fensive by land. sea or air. All Eu-
rope at least now recognizes the |
potentialities of our industrial power.
Open propaganda pressure is not
IN order. Silence is the best propa-
ganda in leaving us to make up our
minds. which is our way in this war,
If not in the World War, since it's |
experience led us to be skeptical of
all information we received from
the other side as propaganda.
Orders in U. S. Not Heavy.
AS yet the allies orders in Amer
lea have not been conspicuously
heavy, but they may be damned up
to make flood once the allies may
get planes, guns, shells and powder
direct from us. This means more
weapons, more ammunition and the
release of more manpower for the
front.
The prospect of such reinforce
ment is surely considered by Gen.
Gamelin in shaping his future pol
icy, and the more thoroughly after
Won Ribbentrop's promise, which, if
kept, assures long war.
Premier Mussolini, too. is watch
Ing what passes under the capitol
dome and in congressional back
homes" Surely, the axis partner
will not torpedo Italian merchant
ships. With German ships off the
seas, our ships not crossing the At
lantic, allied shipping and factories
meeting war needs, war industrial
babies may flourish in Italy as
italian ships carry their products
to world markets. Italy now has a
gold reserve of 5000 100000. Mus
solini would hardly object to its
being increased to billion before
the war is over.
(Released by the North American