Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-06
Naizis Have
Information
OnSeaR Routes
Evidence Points TO Tips
on Convoy Paths
BY PAUL MALLON

WASHiN1iOiN' NOV Inc
w peculiar type OF sea war in
which this country is involved
with the Nazis is unsatisfactory
10 many naval authorities whose
positions require them to keep
their mouths shut.
Losses thus far suggest the
cost is to be heavy in lives and
ships. Rumors are being passed
around that the navy has sunk
10 German su BIS without an
nouncement. But officials smile
freely at this suggestion.
They would probably be glad
10 announce the sinking of one.
In order to justify their policy
popularity, even though they say
they would not.
German sub tactics show con-
| clusively that the Nazis have in
formation on the routes of
conveys. The incidents of the
Greer. Kearny and Reuben
James all occurred on night con-
voy duty. In each case Ger
man subs knew where to lie in
wait, with engines stilled, so
their presence could not be de-
tected.
They are able to fire from
their submerged positions as
their own detecting devices pick
up the sound of the passing con-
voy. Operating between Green
land and Iceland in packs, they
are thus able to maintain very
serious advantage over our de-
stroyers.
When the Neutrality Act is
repealed and conveying to Brit
ain is started, their opportuni-
ties will be increased as our
ships move into the German air
patrol radius of 1000 miles
(good weather. from the French
coast. Our plane patrol service
apparently is not effective
against night submarine oper-
ations.
NHE official fluff about Rus
| l. sia's excellent" military
position is thoroughly Debated
in a current analysis by a high
American military leader.
asked by the pseudonym
"Strategious," this army au-
thority has laid down the bare
facts in an article published for
the military profession in the
Army and Navy Journal mo
vember u.
The Reds have lost 20 per
cent of their coal, go per cent
of their iron and so per cent of
their steel capacity in the
Ukraine. Cooped up in Lenin-
grad is IL per cent of their
manufacturing plants. Threat
ened or lost around Moscow are
20 per cent of her airplane fac
tories.
All I'm all Russia stands to
lose more than two-thirds of her
industrial machinery before
Winter. This cannot permit
her to supply sufficient army
to hold out beyond next
Summer.
ONLY time-bomb threatening
~ to sabotage the defense pro-
gram is the closed-shop issue,
lit by John L. Lewis. The adj
ministration, industry and labor
all realize it. Inner dealings
over the coal strike settlement
therefore have been hectic.
Big steers Myron Taylor went
to the length of offering Lewis
a closed shop in captive mines
II John would promise not to
seek the same strangle hold on
the steel factories. This may yet
be the basis of the final settle
ment even though it means CIV
ing Lewis complete possession
of every steel miners job.
Even Mr.. Roosevelt has ex-
hibited no eagerness to deliver
all industry to this control by
labor. Strangely. his record
seems to contain no spoken
word on the subject. 1t is true
he ordered Madam Perkins TO
help Lewis get the United Mine
Workers contract two years ago
along that line.
His national labor relations
act (Sec. 81 says Union men,
bership may be made a condition
of employment" But his ma
tional defense mediation board
has surprising record on the
subject.
OF 81 cases heard by the
board so far, 40 have involved
serious demand for some form
of union security shop"
which is really a closed shop
with several variations. In 20
cases. the closed shop resulted.
In 10 of these, the board spe-
cifically directed closed shop
clause to be put in the contract.
Thus the board is batting 500
on the closed-shop issue to date.
Board members are supposed to
favor personally that form of
complete union leader domina-
ton.
But they are aware that
many Of labor,s host friends con-