Evening star., 1942-08-11
Subs Add to Woes
Nv MAX HILL.


RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. IL
Iuxuries from conquered LANDS
won't be going to japan for some
time to come.
Japan's ocean going shipping
pared considerably by sinkings from
its pre-war estimated 100000 tons
is swamped with far more vital
tasks than carrying such things as
sugar and spices to the Island EN-
pire.
As the one great industrial ma
tion of the Orient. she must ship
raw rubber, iron ore. chromite, oil
and tin back to her manufacturing
centers from occupied territory and
feed them out again In flnished
form.
This may we'll be breaking the
back of a merchant marine already
overburdened before the war ana
now harassed by Allied submarines
reported reaching even into the very
entrances OF such harbors as Yo-
kohamas.
CIyleS hFc OsthCt SShe'
Japan's industrial cities Of Osaka,
Yokohama and Toxic are vulner-
able to attack. Thus the great pro-
tected plains Of Manchukuo months
ago began sprouting factories, mu-
nitions plants and other desperately
needed industries.
Today Japan's troops are spread
as thin as rainwater over an area
that staggers even the Japanese: 1t
is 5000 miles from the Aleutians TO
the Indies, north and south: 1000
miles from Rsngoon to the PACING
inundated islands, east and west.
The shipping problem is made
more complex by the island empires
overworked land transportation sys-
tenn, trying vainly to keep constant
flow OF products from Is industrial
regions created before the war in an
effort to diversity and scatter essen
tial manufacturing.
Industries were picked up bodily
from Toxic, Yokohama and OSAKA
and resettled in towns hardly on
maps. Now all are engaged In mass
production of munitions, armaments,
tanks and planes.
Liners Must Take Chances.
The enormous tasks placed on the
japanese Navy by the war means
that the country's fleet OF trans
Pacific liners must brave submarines
without convoy, taking their chances
on their speed and little else. :
Persistent rumors spread IN TOXIC
that the liners Yawata Maru and
Nitta Maru, both l6.50o-tonners,
were torpedoed. s.
A hard blow was the acknowledged
loss of the 14,457-ton Taiyo Maru
which was sunk of Japan. Loss ol
the ship was announced but nothing
was said about the reported drown
ing of 600-odd English speaking
financial and business experts bound
for the Indies to whip their re-
sources into wartime economy foi
the military.
Early in March at least four large
troop laden japanese transports
were sunk Out Vi q Noh'oJ
from Formosa to Kobe.
To supplement their shipping, th'
Japanese acquired some 10000 tons
of French ships. including pas
senger liner of the Marshal Jonrt
type, which entered Yokohama a
the Asama Maru, left for Lourenct
Marques, Portuguese East Africs
exchange port. with American
repatriates now aboard the Grips
holm.
Crews Marched OF.
The French crews marched on
refusing to sail under the Risinl
Sun. French law backed them up
This meant the japanese had u
find six or eight full new crews q
a time when finding sufncient mum
bers at all is a jor problem.
This scarcity Of seamen seemed
emphasized by the handling OF tn
Asama Maru by her inexperienced
and youthful crew.
For every japanese ship the Allie
send to the bottom. it's just tina
much bigger a headache for tn
shipping ministry.