The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-26
SHIPPING PINCH
 VITAL PROBLEM . FOR ARGENTINA
By EVERETT A. BAUNEAN

&AN " V AH4NN4 ~ 4 sAA M%AA OAA4AAN
 Limited Press Stan COFrespondent)
 Buenos Aires, June 20 (UP)- Citizens of Argentina are tighten ing their belts along with the other peoples of Latin America as war; caused shortages deprive them of materials and manufactured goods which were plentiful in peace.
 Long lines of empty ship berths in the oElce-t -teeming port of Buenos Aires testify to the decline of for- eign trade with which Argentine economy always has been closely geared. Fewer ships bring fewer goods and there are few Argentines who do not feel the effect of the shipping shortages as the result of high prices they must pay for rub- Der and silk products, many tex- tiles, many foodstuffs, medicinal items, and electrical or mechanical appliances of all kinds.
 Since the spread Of the war to the Pacific, the greater part of the US. merchant fleet has been withdrawn from Latin American service and tonnage has dropped at an alarm ing rate. All indications point to 1942 being e blacker shipping year than 1917, when tonnage entering Argentine harborS dropped at a. 3l4,208 tons.
 Submarines Take Toll
 During March of this year, ton- mage fell of 6,33O tons week. In April 1t sagged 62,934 tons weekly. A continuation of such a rate would mean the loss of more than 2,00O,- 900 tons during the current year. Axis submarines have taken a high toll of ships still remaining on the South Atlantic run. Indication of the sacrifice that war exactS from the Argentine consumer is found in the carpo lists of Argentine-botlnd vessels torpedoed within recent months. From four such ships, 5000 tons of tin plate destined for the operation of Argentina's great meat-canning industry were sent to the ocea11's bottom. In an effort to avert a complete shutdown, ex- perinents now are being made with wood, paper, and glass substitutes for containers.
 ROtting i'm Salt Water
 Forty thousand tires sent to re. lieve the shortage which has brought strict rationing to Argen- tinas car owners failed to reach their destination. Four hundred automobiles rust on the ocean floor in the hold of the ship aboard which they were being moved south. Newspapers in Argentina already have been forced to cut their edi- tions 50 per cent or more for lack of newsprint. Ten million pounds of newsprint rot in the salt water to- day.
 Also lost were quantities of iron sheets and plates, sewing machines, asbestos fiber, paint leads, oil well equipment, railroad car supplies, radio translnitters and parts-arti- cleS needed badly in the most vital sectors of Argentine life.
 Compete for Space The timely creation of the Argen- tine state merchant marine, nov amounting to approximately 135,- 900 tons, has done much to prevent the Etrangulation that might other wise have been caused by the dis appearance of foreign ship ping.
 An expanding and active Span- ish merchant marine also sent 438,- 859 tons to Argentina last year and is expected to equal that figure in l942. Tn addition, Portuguese transatlantic line now has made Buenos Aires 6 regular port of cali.
 Nevertheless, this tonnage falls far short of the shipping needed by Argentina to handle its export and import trade. There is intense competition among Argentine ship pers of wool, fruits, wines, dairy products, meats. and grains for space aboard outgoing ships of the American lines. Importers are in the worst position, for the. bulk of incoming freight Is devoted to fuel, without which the country's power and transport system would be dis rupted.