The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1943-03-02
By ALBERT LEMAN

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NEW YORk - New warnings
from Secretary Knox concerning
the gravity Of the submarine men
ace indicate that the underwater
terror Is still far from being elm
mated. Only official circles know
that a group Of distinguished en-
CINE designers and marine srchi-
tects proposes to abandon build
ing slow ships and to concentrate
on big vessels able TO flee from
the providers. The suggestions are
vigorously opposed by eonven-
tional naval authorities. who argue
that II would take too long 10
change over at this late date.
Cargo craft average nine or ten
knots an hour in convoy. U-boats
can make sixteen knots on the sur
face and approximately ten when
submerged. Their shippers Turk
in wait for victims, speed up when
prey is sighted and creep in after
dark for the kill.
A fast steamer is much more
difficult to spot from a periscrope.
If she travels fifteen knots, she
can show her heels to any tin
fish because her enemy dare not
remain above the waves as he ap-
proaches a well-armed antagonist.
The German captain must aim his
bow in a course to cut off the
quarry. Should he make the slight
est miscalculation in direction, his
target will escape.
Rapidly sailing transports car
ried the bulk of our invasion forces
to North Africa safely although
the Flooding supply boats which
followed suffered casualties. The
greyhounds. proposed by techni-
clans would have even greater
swiftness.
Numerous innovations are being
tested by maritime experts. The
details are naval secrets but facts
about the broad patterns are not
withheld. The suggested nemesis
of the submarine is a merchant
man capable of racing at eighteen
knots, constructed in such a man.
ner that she cannot be easily de-
stroyed. and protected by enough
guns to beat off U-boat and bomb
er attacks. The present standard
freighter is eight thousand tons
but the prospective type is at
least twelve thousand, containing
a seven thousand horsepower en-
CINE instead Of the current three
thousand.
The plan is for her to ride deep
and not expose much of her hull
to hostile eyes. Her upper decks
are to be unusually strong. Bulk
heads are distributed at strategic
sections so that she may be hit
below the water line without sink
ing. If she stays afloat a few
hours. she may be towed to port.
Priority cargoes will be carried
in sealed crates on deck. If the
vessel finally plunges. these boxes
will be picked up be rescuing
forces. They will also serve as
additional life RATS for the crew.
The more revolutionary blueprints
include flat tops for planes and
huge cranes to lift returning air
craft from the sea.
The problem of unorthodox de-
sings is being threshed out by
Anglo-American admiralties. the
London Controller of Merchant
Shipping and other official agen-
cies. These specialists may evolve
a mystery ship which will win
the battle of the Atlantic.
Farmers tell Congress bluntly
that they are handicapped by man.
power shortages and price ceilings.
but they are not the class of men
to sulk until remedial measures
are made available. According TO
reports secured by editors in the
West, the sgriculturists, regard
less Of hsrdships. intend 10 SOW
more than they did last year and
harvest what they plant.
They are angry because they be-
lieve a bureaucracy in distant
Washington cannot understand the
local problems of the tillage belt.
They do not favor having inexper-
fenced volunteers or fourth-rste
workers from share-cropper re-
gions dumped IN their fields and
barns. But they say. we have
a Job to do and we'll do IT,
People in rural areas are IN
dependent-a reason for their
vigorous protests resource
ful They warn the WPB that
more machinery must be allowed
them. Meanwhile. they are at
tempting to solve this problem
themselves by renting tractors,
combines and other equipment 70
growers lacking such devices.
Sparks are falling near the Ma
drid keg again. Nazi troop trains
are reported speeding toward the
Pyrenees and many United States
military experts believe that
. Franco is plotting to strike our
North African fighters in the back.
Already his expeditionary force In
Spanish Morocco eompels General
Eisenhower 70 immobilize many
thousands Of soldiers as watch
dogs.
New York Spanisrds, still IN
communication with the old coun-