Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-22
Plane Lack
Boosts at
To Singapore
London's Neglect Adds
10 Philippine Peril NJ
BY PAUL MALLON

BY PAUL MALLON
WASHINGTON, Dec. -. -
w How the British could fare
SO poorly in defense Of Singa-
pore against a land attack for
which They have been preparing
at least ID yearS-is the first
major mystery OF the Far East
war
The explanation being sent
out of that "impregnable bas-
ton by the news men Is that
insufficient men and material
were furnished by London. This
would seem to be a handworn
and miserable excuse
The truth Is they slipped in
only one particular. the most
important one. They neglected
80 concentrate sufficient pursuit
planes 10 protect the adequate
troops and material which they
had mustered.
They undcTCStimated the Jap
air force CaS has every one else).
such fighting planes could not
be flown IN the Orient IN view
of their short range, but had TO
be shipped out around South
Africa. As they were also
needed at home and elsewhere,
the British fell easily into
critical error
OUR defense of the Philippines
~ has relied heavily upon the
British grasp of the Singapore
flank. If the JapS win there,
their fleet and troops can be
turned full on General MacAr-
thur. Furthermore, the helpful
rainy season is about over out
there and good fighting weather
Will prevail through April
If the Philippines can be held
until next May, they viii never
be lost.
THE meeting of tho maritime
L unioneerS and ship oper-
atorS swiftly got down 10
business here. Called by John
r Steelman of the governments
labor Cancellation service and
Admiral Land of the maritime
commission, 1t developed lmme-
date unity
Strikes were barred. War
aid was promised But then the
union leaders and operators got
into discussion of how the
ships should be run 10 win the
war. Guns should be placed
here and there. Aliens should
be restricted thus and so.
Straight, tough Harry Lunde-
berg of the Seaman's Union
stood it as long as he could.
Arising before the pickering
connie" lawyers from New
York representing some of the
unionS), and the Immediately
CARRIED ship operators, he shook
the walls with his booming
voice.
"All right, gentlemen" he
said i'm effect. But before we
try TO tell the government how
Ia run these ships, maybe we
had better get on n ship and
find out how To run IL ourselves.
l move that we sign immedia-
atcly on ship today and run IL
10 Manila so we can get de-
tailed experience upon which to
base these recommendations"
The motion was not acted
upon The subject evaporated
along with recommendations.
The idea Of connie" union
lawyers and ship operators TAX
ing a ship into Manila clearly
had no appeal, except for Mr..
Lundeberg.
CURPRISES are not over in
~ this war. This government,
while always slow TO take up
innovations. has a. few which
may breeze your hat off eventu-
ally.
1t is my personal guess that
the tank-that shocking new
spearhead Of the blitz-will be
an obsolete weapon inside Of a
year. As now constructed, il is
apt 10 become useless when con-
fronted with newly conceived
devices.
Also the end of development
in airplanes has not been
reached.
No weapon has ever been
found for which an equally force
ful answer could not be con-
trlvcd. and none such Will be
found.
THE Nelson and Henderson de-
Il tense group are belatedly and
therefore quietly moving TO de-
Vel0p American resources OF
magnesium and chrome in the
West. But the credit for forcing
them into action goes TO Sem
ate military affairs Sub-commit-
tee and especially 10 its counsel.
George Malone Of the Industrial
West Foundation
Malone has been working
months tpsuccpSSfuliv and with