Evening star., 1942-05-17
Victory Plans Focus on Ships
AS Losses Equal u. S. Output
Three Methods Being Energetically Pushed for
Solution of Maritime Problem, but
Differences Still Exist
By FeHr NJ orIey.

By Fell,
Gasoline rationing calculated to elimi
nate all pleasure driving In the Eastern
States has for the first time brought
home to the general public the integral
character Of the present war.
The fact there Is no national shortage
Of motor fuel Is illustrated by absence
Of the restriction throughout the bulk
Of the country. In Pennsylvania, where
the western counties are immune from
the rationing in effect for the larger part
Of the State, the anomaly Is particularly
pronounced. It emphasizes that the
trouble is not q shortage Of fuel but
deficiency in transportation.
While other factors are involved, this
difhculty has been precipitated by the
steady and unanticipated toll Of ships
taken by enemy submarines OF the
Atlantic coast. What were at first re-
garded as spectacular but militarily un-
important raids have evolved into some
thing approximating blockade pressure.
Tankers in particular have been driven
pipeline facilities are lacking, the over
burdened railroads are simply unable to
cope with the additional strain.
Exact figures OF tonnage sunk this year
OF the Atlantic coast are unrevealed,
and should remain so. But no attempt
is made to conceal the general picture.
Almost every day, with appalling regu-
larity, the torpedoing of from one to
three ships is disclosed. Sometimes the
toll declines; sometimes its rises The
average loss seems to flatten out at about
is ships a week.
Three Ways Of Solution.
The significance of this figure comes
home by comparison with that of ship
launchings for the entire United States,
now attaining an average of two day.
As deliveries of completed ships still fall
short of this mark, construction of ton
mage is at the moment tagging behind
destruction. Nothing is gained by ignor-
ing this situation, and indeed there Is
no official attempt to conceal it,
For solution of this problem, clearly
I,
there are three possible lines of ap-
proach. They are not mutually ex-
elusive and as matter of fact are all
being energetically followed.
The first method Of solution is to STOP
or at least sharply curtail, the present
depredations. 1t may be assumed that
everything possible is being done to this
end. Certainly it is noticeable that in
the recent r. A. F. bombings of Germany
particular attention has been paid to
yards and factories known to be working
on submarine installations
The second method of solution is still
further to step up ship construction in
the United States, which must now be
relied upon to produce the bulk Of the
merchant tonnage necessary not merely
for our own war needs but also for those
Of all the United Nations.
The third line Of solution looks to-
ward overall reorganization Of the ocean
transportation effort, designed to secure
both the utmost efficiency in the mass
production of ships, and the utmost econ
ton for wartime use.
ordination Needed.
This last endeavor has two separate
aspects. Undoubtedly more could be
done. and will be done to establish a
single Anglo-American authority to load
and move ships in accordance with
single unified strategy. wholly regardless
of whether these ships fly the Star
Spangled Banner. the Union Jack or the
flags of other United Nations. For there
is still less real unified control of ship
ping than was developed under the
Allied Maritime Transport Council in the
last war. though the need for efficient
and economical utilization Of all ton
mage is now far greater.
As to whether our own domestic ship
building program can be further ac-
celerated merely by reorganization there
are differences of opinion. 1t is now
being argued that Admiral Land, the
War Shipping Administrator, should be
released from charge of ship production.
This should be placed, in the opinion of
Walter Lippmann among others, under
production manager, not necessarily
shipbuilder," who would be made di-
rectly responsible to o. P M.
Since any such change would 60 far
to disrupt the United States Maritime
Commission, which was carefully de-
signed as permanent agency and will