The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-06

OCner aQnlralS, mcLuQlnE AQmIrak Ernest King, commander of the Atlantic fleet, who says he can get along in the Atlantic merely with his present consignment of de- stroyers and light cruisers, which are all that is needed for convoy ing.
 The first big point of the "strOng policy" admirals is that every day of delay weakens the Russians, and the Russians are the big po- tential allies of the United States against Japan. With Russian bombing planes operating from Vladivostok against the paper and bamboo houses of Tokyo and Yako hama, the Japanese would be up against it.
 The second big point urged by these admirals is one which not many people realize: When the United States went into the last war, Japan was on our side. There was no need tO worry about the Pacific. Bat this time, the min- ute the U. S. 4. becomes em- broiled In Europe, 1t has to guard its back cs5r against a traditional and very potent rival.
 Therefore, argues the Pacific school within the Navy, let's face our enemies one by one rather than have two jumping on us la ter and from opposite directions.
 There is nothing the Navy dreadS more than the idea of attack in two oceans at once attacks aimed at Alaska on one side and Brazil on the other. that is why some oi :ile admirals so resent the phone calls from Winston Churchill.
 U. S. DESTROYERS
 The submarine situation which forced the Rueben James and now threatens all U. s. destroyer in the North Atlantic, is far differ ent from that of the last war.
 Today, German submarines
 operate in gangs or wOlfpacks of three to five, lurking in the path of convoy, and without putting their periscOpes out of the water. They 0O not even run their engines. This the approaching destroyer cannot pick mp the subs with its sound detectOr, but the subs, on the other hand, can hear the engines of the approaching convoy.
 Then when the convoy is within range, the subs release their tor- pedoes, sometimes blind. Tn other words, they do not lift their peri scopes but frequently fire merely in the direction of the approach ing engines. Because conveys travel so close togeth- these days. hits are almost certain.
 Submarines fire blind chiefly in the daylight. At night. on the other hand, when the submarine cannot be seen, 1t comes to the surface.
 This is one reason for the increased number of merchant vessel casualties since Septem- Der, for as the nights became
 longer, U-boats have longer hours to operate on the surface.
 Winter weather also has made the U.boats more difficult targets from the air. All summer, the British and American air fleets patrolled the North Atlantic. Tn calm weather the planes could easily spot submarines vel be low the surface. But with rough, chappy weather, aircraft haze a hard time seeing very far under water. Tn addition to rough weather, there is the problem Of fog.
 MERRY-GO-ROUND
 President Roosevelt is being hombarded with urgent requests from midwestern Democratic lead. CTS urging him to visit that section and make several speeches. He has not been in the area for more than a year and then didn't go farther than Cleveland. The politicos want him to make a trip with major stops at Detroit. Chicago and Indianapolis {. James Rowe. smart young White House secretary handling patEciA-