Evening star., 1940-12-11
Problems Involved
In Beating Blockade
Outlined byCro
World War Flyer Says
England Needs More and
More Ships From U. S.
BY GAULT MCGOWAN.

BY GAULT Mcgowan.
LONDON, Dec. II N.AN.A0.-
Revelation in Washington that the
United States will produce cargo
ships for Great Britain on a large
scale has put the spotlight on the
man who, next to Winston Churchill
and Anthony Eden, the Nazis hate
most-but say least about.
He was a dashing young cavalry
officer and World War flyer at the
same time as Reichsmarshal Her
mann Goering, but he went into
cotton and banking when peace
came and entered Parliament only
in 1881. He swiftly rose to be par
liamentary secretary to the board
of trade and when the war started
became Minister of Economic War
fare, organizing the blockade
against Germany.
Now, as Minister of Shipping, he
is defying the Nazi counterattack
by airplane, surface raider, mine
and submarine on the transports
that cross the seas with Britain S
vital cargoes of raw materials, NUM-
tions and airplanes for the fighting
forces and food for besieged Britons.
Why Churchill Picked Him.
He is 44-year-old Ronald Gross,
M. P, from a Lancashire cotton
spinning district, selected for the
job by Mr.. Churchill when he be-
came Prime Minister because he
knew that the man who can organize
a good blockade is the best man to
make a blockade runner.
Mr., Cross leaned back in his chair,
crossed his long legs and offered me
a cigarette.
He began to talk rapidly about his
problems:
When these ships that are being
built in America are ready it will be
my job to fit the vessels out and
manage them through this minis
try. We need them to replace en-
emy action and to meet the expan-
sion in shipping requirements ne
cessitated by the disappearance Of
much neutral tonnage from our har-
bors, for our increasing commit
ments in Africa, Greece, Egypt and
so forth, and for the transport of
troops from one part of the empire
to another.
Besides the military demands I
have demands from the Ministry Of
Supply, the Ministry of Food, the
overseas department of the Board
of Trade and the Petroleum Board.
They all want space for imports.
Long Voyages Now.
I'm the past we have filled their
needs by requisitioning ships and
managing them or by booking space
in ships run on owners account.
We have now the biggest state-con-
trolled shipping business in the
world. But it must be bigger yet.
Instead of the short voyages that
formerly suffced to bring us imports
from neutral countries in Europe,
we have now to bring them across
the Atlantic or from the distant
parts of the empire. The entry of
Italy into the war has made it nee
! w d2NCll SllltbO LII tllC S1AOl
voyage through the Mediterranean
| to longer routes The voyage to
Egypt round the Cape is four times
as long as through the Mediter-
ranean.
Formerly We could get oil from
Rumania and from the pipeline in
Palestine and bring it straight here
in tankers that were able to turn
round swiftly and return again in
short time. Now we require much
more tank capacity to bring oil over
longer routes.
THE convoy system-which we
started much earlier in this war
than last time-greatly increases the
need for ships. When freighters
have to be gathered together and
dispatched at the speed of the slow
est ship, so that they may keep
together, the time taken between
ports is increased.
Nazis Not Idle.
Diversion of ships from danger
Gus to safer ports further delays
voyages. Enemy action takes it's
toll. And, of course, the more the
war spreads, the more ships we
shall need for carriage of troops,
equipment and supplies, and the
more points we have to victual. Also
affecting our requirements are the
numbers of ships laid up for re-
pairs.
"As the effects of our blockade
become more and more evident, it is
natural to assume efforts to destroy
our ships will intensity. The Nazi
shipyards are not idle. They are
turning out submarines as fast as
they can.
Our shipyards are working to
the utmost, but very large part
of our capacity has to be. given up
to naval construction and repair.
We are, therefore, naturally anxious
to get more ships built overseas, far
from the disturbances of war, and
we are looking primarily to the ship
yards of Canada and the United
States.
Canada is already building. Or
ders are being placed for 60 freight
ers in the United States, to be de-
livered during next year. This Is
not enough. The rate at which we
are having ships built does not near
ly make up for the present rate
of loss.
We Need More Ships.
eve need more ships. The sooner
the better-if only to carry all the
aircraft, munitions of war and other
assistance the United States is send
ing or, still more, is preparing to