Evening star., 1942-05-23
Allies U-Bout Problem
Sinkings and PiIe-up Of War Weapons
Call for Quick Action, Maj. Eliot Warns

is needless expense. needless labor,
needless rehandling of shipments,
confusion and delay.
To find the remedy is the prob
lem. In 1917, the convoy system was
the answer; 1t probably would be
the answer today If we had avail
able the means in patrol craft and
aircraft to convoy all our coast-wise
shipping on the same formidable
and successful scale adopted for our
North Atlantic bridge of ships"
We are rushing patrol craft to
completion. as well as planes, and
we are even more frantically rushing
the training of officers and men to
man them. There has been put |
forward suggestions that offshore
air patrol might be made a part |
OF the air-training program, thus
using a certain proportion Of the |
planes and personnel devoted to
training purposes in a double role.
Fears have been expressed in
naval circles that this might result
in heavy losses and much confusion,
due to the difficulties to be en-
countered by inexperienced flyers
operating over the sea. There Is a
good deal in this contention, but 1t |
is also to be observed that the COM |
mander Of submarine observing |
a hostile aircraft through his peri
scope will hardly be able to tell |
whether it is manned by a fedgling
pilot or an experienced one. and will |
be likely to stay below the surface.
II submarines can be prevented |
from surfacing in the daytime their
batteries can quickly be exhausted,
and they will have great dificulty
In remaining on station for any
length Of time.
German Aid to Japan.
AS to surface convoy Of coastwHe
shipping, there can be little doubt
that the Germans are trying very
hard to force us to diminish our
fighting strength in the Pacific for
this purpose; German propaganda
speaks openly Of the German u
boats off our coast as Germany's
direct aid to Japan.
However, once we can complete
sucient patrol craft Of proper de-
sign and seakeeping qualities, we
can carry out convoy duties in
coastal waters without using ships
which might be OF value in the
broad reaches Of the Pacific. Mean
while, We must get along as best
We can.
Another means Of dealing with |
submarines is by direct attack on
their bases; for this, the weapons
We can use are the heavy bomber
and the commando raid.
Rostock and st. Nazaire are the
examples, and in the remoter field
Gin point Of time) the smashing Of
the U-boat engine factory at Augs-
burg. There will be more Of this sort
of attack, intensified in scale and
continuity. But time Is the mex
orable arbiter Of our destinies; what
We do We must do quickly, and well,
and we must supplement these
known methods by every sort of de-
vice and plan which American in
genuity can bring forth.
In this connection it is to be
hoped that the National Inventors
Council is taking care to lubricate
its mechanism, in order that the |
wheat may be swiftly winnowed |
from the chaf in the harvest of new
ideas for which it Is the clearing
house.
Who knows but that the device to
beat the submarine is not already
forming in the mind Of some obscure
American inventor? All that is
worth while must be quickly ex-
amined and translated into use.
The time Is short. the need is great:
but not too short, not too great for
the genius Of America, unless that
genius is bound fast with red tape.
Copyright, 1912. by New York Tribune, Inc. |