The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-18
AMERICAN WAR
 PLANES ON GUARD
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NNOIltulucQ IIOII1 SH&e 1I embassy described it as an "h,ven- tion."
 Long Range Submarines
 The information said to have been conveyed to this government is that the German navy is sending one or more 1ong-range submarines capable of operating over an area of thousands of miles. The report gave no actual detail of the present location of such craft.
 U. s. Navy movements are cloaked with wartime secrecy. But those familiar with operations be- heved patrols from the Atlantic fleet will keep an extra watch on the area until the report is proved or disproved.
 What action the navy could take If German submarine were found in United States coastal waters was not known.
 U. s. warships and planes con- stantly patrol the neutrality zone which, around the New York area, extends 600 nautical miles seaward.
 Thus far, in the few instances of hostile actions within the zone, the navy has acted merely as an ob- server. These instances have involved the running down of German mer- chant vessels by British warships.
 The purported German plan rec called World War submarine activ- ity in coastal waters both before and during this country's participa- ton in the conflict.
 First Look At Nazi Sub
 This country had its first look at a German submarine on July 9, 1916 when the long-range unarmed cargo submarine, the Deutschland, bob- bed to the surface at Norfolk, Va, with a cargo of dyes and chemicals. Four months later-on November l it completed another trans-Atlan- tic journey, entering New London, Conn.
 The voyages were regarded as a demonstration by Germany that she could break the British blockade with freight-carrying submersibles.
 Less than two years later - in early June, 1918 after the United States entered the war - German submarines carried the war to wa ters off New York and adjacent areas.
 From that time until the war ended in November, submarines sank or seriously damaged 100 ships in coastal waters, including the 13,- 68O-ton U. s. s. can Diego and the 7,650-ton U. s. s. Minnesota which ran into mine fields laid by the sub marines-all of which returned safe ly to bases in Germany.
 Memorable Incident
 One of the most memorable inci- dents occurred one warm July Sum- day off Orleans, Cape Cod, Mass. Beaches were crowded by swimmers. Suddenly, the U-156 rose to the surface, leisurely sank tug and several barges with her guns, then dropped a shell on the the beach.
 No lives were lost, although the submarine and planes from the naval air station at nearby Chatham carried on a running battle until the U-Boat slipped beneath the surface.
 Since the outbreak of the present war, there had been various reports of submarine activity in American waters. For the most part, these reports lacked confirmation.
 On one occasion, president Roose. welt told of reports tlaet submar- inc of unidentified nationality had been seen sighted off the coast of Florida.
 Hitler has declared that U. s. assistance to Britain twill be tor pedoed."
 And MT. Roosevelt, in his address Saturday night, said that the United States will not be frustrated" in its determination to aid the democra- cies with ships, planes, guns, tanks and food. He spoke of the need of maintaining "the bridge of (supply) ships" across the Atlantic.
 The lend-lease law contains @ pro- vision that nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize or to per- init the authoriza ton of conveying vessels by naval vessels of the United States" But this does not interfere with the Presidents powers as commander-in-c -chief of the army and navy. Members of Congress and international lawyers differ whether these powers would permit him to order convoyS.
 British Not In Doubt
 London, March 18. (UP - Naval quarters said today that they had no knowledge of reports of German plans to operate submar- ines off the United States coast. But added that they saw no reason to doubt the feasibility of such a plan.
 Experts remembered that in the last war German submarines had sunk ships off the American coast.
 Opinion was expressed that in this war a submarine campaign extended to the American coast would be much less effective than in the last war.
 United States warships already are patroling hundreds of miles off the coast, on neutrality patrol, experts pointed out. in order to prevent incidents"
 It was believed here that the Ger mans were concentrating on mass production of small pocket" sub- marines in order to continue their main U-Boat campaign in waters within 500 miles of Britaln's ports.
 dcrmanys long range submarines would be used. in such caznpaizfi.