Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-01-23
The War Today
u. s. and Britain
To Unite in Drive
On U-Boat Menace
By CAPT. JOHN II. CENGE

~ - ~ - y a ~ ~ ~ ~
By CAPT. JOHN II. CRNGE
Yrucn for intrrranana, Sew service
NEWS DISPATCHES from
Washington and London in
cressingly sttes, 20 the grow
ing menace Of the Nazi WIN
ter submarine campaign TO
vital United Nations overseas
communications lines.
Speaking 70 the men Of the
British hons fleet at their
northern base. presumably at
Scapa Flow, First Lord Of The
Admiralty A. Y. Alexander
described 1913 as the crucial
year Of the war, with Great
Britain facing the greatest
attacks in history on he! sea-
communications.
This and other similar
statements Of the last few
days were followed yesterday
by the intimation that the
establishment of an American
British unified naval COM
mand 10 combat Hitler's
undersea boats is being con-
sidered.
POSSIBLE HEAD for such
a unified anti-submarine cam
paign is mentioned as Admiral
Sir Percy Noble, chief of the
British naval delegation to
Washington, who was In
charge of anti-submarine
measures in the waters around
the British Isles early in the
war.
The seriousness of the ray
ages Of German submarines
on United Nations shipping
is no news. For several
weeks past the extent of
American and British ship
losses have been the principal
subject of conversation in in
formed circles.
Proposals for a unified
United Nations anti-suhmarine
organization are also far
from novel. During World
War suggestions were made
that a single operating head
be placed over the anti-sub-
marine forces of Britain,
France, Italy, Japan and the
United States, then in alliance
against the central powers.
Only partial success was
achieved, however.
/. INTER-ALLIED COOPER
ATION was ( oroughly
.worked out in connection with
,convoys but the actual sub
Misunderstanding close inshore,
.as it was then carried on, was
.generally considered a prob
fem better handled in regional
zones. Submarine methods Of
ioperation have changed radi-
ically since the armistice of
1918, and so have the methods
fused TO counter the U-boats.
theoretically, at present,
there is little doubt that a
.unified American British high
command to take charge of
anti-submarine measures all
over the world would be ideal.
/ But in practice tremendous
difficulties would have TO be
overcome to make such a
united command work.
Exponents Of the united
anti-U-best command point to
the fact that changes in u
boat tactics have rendered the
problem of combating them
much less local and much
more of a global nature than
In 1917, when their depreda-
tons reduced Britain 10 only
a few weeks food supplies.
Z SUBMARINES THEN were
weak and slow compared with
the present Nazi wolf packs.
, Ordinarily they did not try 10
F. operate far from shore. Most
sinkings occurred within 200
miles Of Britain or ireland.
: To-day, Hitlers submarines
work in packs ranging up 20 a
, dozen or more. Instead of
f, lurking near enemy ports,
+, they take boldly 10 sea, run
ming at surface speeds Of more
T. than 20 knots. and trail
United Nations conveys.
In spotting their prey they
are no longer blind, but arc
supplied with the location anc
bearings or the conveys they