Evening star., 1941-04-09
Lands Convoy Plan
Stirs Talk of Early
Government Move
Ship Program May Not
Meet Brituin's Needs,
Maritime Chief Says
By the Associated Press.

chief of the Maritime Commission
that the United States might well
help Britain combat Nazi convoy
raiders aroused fresh discussion here
today of the possibility of an early
Government move toward giving the
British naval assistance.
The commission chairman, Rear
Admiral Emory S. Land, U. S. N,
retired, compared German SUBJ
marine attacks on British shipping
to a bonfire and said Americans
should ask themselves whether they
could not give greater help by
aiding the British to put out the
fire than by concentrating our efforts
on feeding it with fuel"
Britain's losses ARE now occurring
at rate close to 100000 tons a
year" he said, adding: 1T is obvious
that large as the British merchant
marine was before the war, it cannot
long withstand such losses" More
over, he declared, America and
Britain together cannot furnish
adequate requirements.
Roosevelt Reveals Ship Plan.
Admiral Land, President Roose-
velt's key man in shipping phases of
the defense program, spoke over the
radio last night. Earlier in the day
Mr.. Roosevelt had disclosed to his
press conference plans to add SO
seized Danish ships, totaling ap-
proximately $4,000 tons, to the
American merchant marine.
The President will ask Congress
tomorrow for funds to purchase
the vessels, which probably will be
turned over to Britain eventually.
Mr.. Roosevelt said Danish repre-
sentatives here had agreed to the
plan.
The Chief Executive also indi-
Gated the United States might de-
clare forfeited and take possession
of % Italian and 2 German ships
put under protective custody by the
Coast Guard after their crews at
tempted sabotage. Mr.. Roosevelt
said the ships were subject to for
feiture.
While the Danish vessels are ex-
pected to go into the bridge OF
ships" which President Roosevelt
promised Britain for transporting
American war supplies. the axis
ships, if forfeited, would go into
the American merchant feet. The
President said they could be handed
over to some other country only if
the United States we're at war with
Germany and Italy.
House Hearing Called.
Legislation to give the Maritime
Commission authority to buy or
lease foreign ships tied up in United
States ports will be given hearing
on April IT by the House Merchant
Marine Committee.
Chairman Bland called the hear
ing on a bill by Representative
Oliver, Republican, of Maine which
would give the commission authority
to purchase such vessels outright
or charter them.
The bill was introduced before the
seizure of the axis vessels. Repre-
sentative Oliver explained his pur-
pose was to provide machinery for
acquiring the vessels on voluntary
basis to foresall the necessity of
seizure.
Under his bill vessels so acquired
could be used only in bringing to
the United States essential defense
raw materials or in the coastal and
trades.
Tonnage Figures Presented.
1t was to the bridge of ships"
problem that Admiral Land ad-
dressed himself, thus becoming the
first high administration official to
speak out directly on the convoy
submarine problem.
He declared that when the pres
ent United States shipbuilding pro-
gram gets into full speed" a few
months hence it will produce from
3,5000C0 to 100000 tons of cargo
ships a year. This may be in
sufficient to meet the full extent
of British losses" he said, but it
is all that can be done effectively
without serious changes in priori-
ties"
The alternative attack on the At
lantic transport problem, Admiral
Land said, is to reduce the effec-
tiveness of German raider activi-
ties. Therefore, he asserted, this
country should consider aiding the
British to put out the fire"
He did not propose specifically
how this might be accomplished,
but it is understood that in ad-
ministration circles consideration
has been given Cd to turning over
more Observation-Disclosures and
cruisers--to Britain and 90 to
using naval vessels under the
American flag to escort cargo ships.
The first proposal, following the
precedent set last fall by the re-
lease of so destroyers to the British,
would keep the United States flag
out of the battle of the Atlantic"
The second, according to well-ln-
formed authorities, almost certainly
would mean lifting the present COM
bat zones around England and run
ming cargo as we'll as war vessels
under the American flag; yet 1t
would avoid removal of any more
warships from the United States
Navy.
Suggestions Offered.
"The best way to lick the sub
marine menace" Admiral Land said,
ais to get it at the source; that is,
to bomb the enemy shipbuilding
plants. The next best is probably
to bomb the repair and rest sta
tions where the submarines go when
not at sea. Other ameliorating in
fuences would be:
81. A greater number of British
combatant ships in the convoy.
"2. British combat vessels convoy
ing ships farther out on their out
bound voyages.
"3. More British combat ships
meeting conveys at greater distances
out on their incoming voyages.
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