The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-05-06

African CONT
mental bulge into the Atlantic. I'm
Gle Sam will be in an awful fix
it'll be a fearful job for him to keep
open his line of communications
with our New World neighbors
from the Equator on down to Cape
Horn.
These yarns are In print every
day or two. I've just been reading
/ one.
The author has II all~reasoned
out. Africa does. indeed, bulge out
I INTO the Atlantic in South Ameri-
cas- direction and South America
/ bulges out into the same ocean in
the direction of Africa.
At the western extremity Of the
| African bulge is the French port
Of Dakar. France being pretty wen
under Herr Hitier's thumb, it's con-
ceivable that the Nazis will sue
coed in establishing a Dakar base.
Against the opposition Of the
British navy. they hardly will be
able to do it by sea, but maybe, by
getting through European France,
occupying Spain. capturing Gibral-
tar. scooting aerially across the
narrow strait. establishing them
selves on the African side and ira
veHsing the bulge to the south
westward overland. they'll arrive
at their Dakar destination. It'll be
mean trip. but not necessarily an
impossibility.
Pernambuco to Dal1ar
Pernambuco. in Brazil, is at the
extremity Of South Americas east
erly bulge.
From Dakar to Pernambuco Is
about as far from New York to
Panama. That is to say. the Ger
mans. at Dakar. could be a good
deal nearer to a South American
landing place than we Yankees are.
The presumption is that they'll I'M
dertake TO establish base at Per-
nambuco. too. and perhaps at
Para. at the>mouth of the Amazon.
Possibly. as a matter Of specula-
ton. they'll scare Brazil into &C.
quiescing. Besides, assert our wor-
ried commentators, Nazi-ism and
Fascism are decidedly strong In
that part Of the world. anyway. 4
German Names. submarines and
a few raiders, so the thesis Is,
would make that comparatively
narrow stretch Of ocean from
Dakar to Pernambuco exceedingly
dangerous for Yankee ships to
cross. bound up and down the
coast.
Furthermore. operating down
the coast from Pernambuco. the
Germans would have southern Bra
I'll and all of Uruguay and Argen-
tina by the scruff OF their necks.
Then. working inland to the west
ward. they could penetrate Para
quay. Bolivia. Chile and gosh
knows what additional republics.
II sounds like large order. but
alarmists argue that Adolf has the
ground efficiently prepared for his
activities through the missionary
work his fifth columnists have been
engaged in for quite while. And.
at the same time (I'm quoting the
alarmists). the United States won't
be able TO do q darned thing be-
cause of that bottleneck from
Dakar to Pernambuco.
What About Our Navy:
1t may be. the alarmists admit,
that we could crack the bottleneck
II we could concentrate big naval
and air forces against it. but our
navy. at least. won't be in a posi-
ton to leave the Pacific. due to
Japan. So how the heck, the alarm
lists ask, can we attend to that
South American east coast?
Now, I've got a suggestion of
my own. don't know whether or
not the east coast will be as bad as
the alarmists- think. but assume
the Affirmative. What's the matter
then. with the shipment OF trans
portloads Of Yankees down the
west coast. which the Nazis can't
get at to save their lives. land them
at Valparaiso and shoot them
across the continent to the east
coast? It's only an overnight trip
from coast to coast and the rail-
road accommodation are first
class.
- Another thing. don't believe