Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-05
Hint Surprise
Axis Attack
On u. S. Fleet
New Air Precautions Bar
Sudden Sea Raids
Nv PAUL MALLON


w Italian press. which works
on push buttons from the Ger
man controlled propaganda min
iStry. has been limiting sur
prise attack on our flcet might
result from Mr. RooSeVelts
stronger sea policy.
II may now b, told that some
thing of a scare developed here
in January or February when
our people picked up more con-
vincing hints along the same
line. A Japanese air or sub
marine attack on our fleet. then
partially bottled in Hawaii. was
greatly feared. That was when
Mr.. Roosevelt suddenly rushed
those bombing planes to Hawaii.
Extensive additional air scout
ing precautions have been taken
mot only in the Pacific) which
should eliminate the possibility
of a surprise disaster
MOT even the House merchant
~ marine committee has been
able TO find out confidentially
much more than YOU know
about the new pooling of 2,0O0,-
600 tons of American ship ton
mage for British aid. The amount
involved is more than a fourth
of our total tonnage $500, 0OO),
will affect $50 to 800 ships.
Some legislators, partly in the
know, expect Britain will get the
faster and larger American ships
while the ugly ducklinGs tinclud-
ing seized Axis ships) viii be
used as substitutes in our coast
wise trade.
They do not consider il UNI
likely that the seized vessels,
with new coat of paint and
new name, will be put into efiec-
tive service.
Some economic diSlocationS
are sure to follow. Freight rates
and shipping facilities for sugar.
coffee. cocoa and other goods
from South America and the Far
East are bound TO be affected.
The initial removal of so tank
erS will surely cause increased
use of railroad tank cars and
pipelines, with possible effects
on gasoline prices.
TllE Germans did not bomb
l. the YugoSlaV and Greek air.
ports as was done in Poland. the
lowlands and France. They used
machine guns instead. Reason:
Their bombs so devastated en-
envy fields earlier in the war
that weeks of German reStnra-
ton were required 10 put them
to Nazi use after the conquest.
Machine cunning saves them
the trouble of filling in the era
tiers.
BY the third day of the attack
on Yugoslavia, they had de
Stroyed so per cent of the air
force. BY the fourth day they
lioA ACSllONth IL NCills
4 N American developed an
"A SWer to the German tank
may be furnished by the "blitz
buggy This is a miniature
truck with four-wheel drive. no
armor, and no gadgets, capable
of carrying three men and tow
ing an anti-tank gun. They cost
only $500 and can be turned out
by thousands.
Tests suggest they are capable
of SwarminG over panZer divi-
Sions. affording little more tar
get than mosquito.
The British have been bewil-
dered by the tank opposition on
three occasions - in the noun
tains of the Balkans. the desert
of North Africa. and the low
lands of Holland. Three times
within a year on three different
types of terrain they have found
it impossible to stop the plane
tank team.
Their trouble has been that
they cannot tell in advance
where the tanks are likely to
break through. and the scatter
ing of anti-tank guns along the
long lines of defense leaves
them weak at every point
The blitz buggy would permit /
rapid concentration of anti-tank
guns at the point of break
through
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