Evening star., 1943-04-08
The Submarines Gain

In announcing that Allied shipping
losses in the Atlantic were "consid-
erabay worse" in March than in
February, Secretary of the Navy
Knox makes it plain that the Ger
mans-as expected-are pl,.. ing their
trumps in a determined effort to
disrupt the lines of supply which
are essential to an invasion of
Europe.
Out in the Atlantic the winter
storms which have hampered U-boat
operations are subsiding and the
submarine wolf packs are swinging
into position for the supreme test
of their ability to cut the flow of
war supplies to England and Africa.
That it will be grim struggle, with
mounting losses for us, is evident,
and only the foolishly optimistic can
fail to perceive that the ultimate
result is uncertain.
The Germans apparently are
throwing everything they have into
this war at sea, realizing that the
next few months will bring the de-
clslVe test of their ability to shut
on the supplies to the armies which
are poised to invade the continent
II they can be assured of relatively
uninterrupted flow of guns, NUM-
tlons, food and the other essentials
IN the maintenance of an invading
force. 1t is extremely unlikely that
our commanders will risk an invasion
II the Germans demonstrate that
they are capable of cutting or so
lmpalrlng the Atlantic supply lines
that an invading army could not be
assured OF the tremendous quantity
OF war materials and reinforcements
tnat would be needed. The Germans.
OF course, know this, and we NAV
expect therefore that their first and
main line of defense against invasion
Will not be at the borders of Europe
but somewhere along the vital At
lantlc crossings.
Secretary Knox, without elabora-
ton, lntimated that the U-boat
packs have adopted new tactics. and
ne conceded that they are concen-
tratlng their efforts in mid-Atlantic
supposedly beyond the reach of our
present air patrols. But, while the
outlook is anything but bright and
rising curve of sinkings is a vlr-
tual certainty, a mounting counter
effort on the part of Britain and the
United States is to be expected.
For one thing, we are building
more and better merchant ships
than have ever been built before
Our new destroyer escorts are lust
coming into production, and bv july
or August 1t is hoped they will be
available in large numbers. Another
encouraging factor is the impetus
which has been given to the con-
structlon OF escort aircraft carriers
ships which are not suitable for
action with the fleet but which
should add enormously to the effec-
tlVeness OF anti submarine air patrol
Before the year is out we will have
great many of these carriers.
Finally there is the prospect of Grip
pling the Nazis by striking directly
at the home nests OF the U-boats
A report from London says that
United States heavy bombers, in the
March l8 attack on Vegesack, Sc
verely damaged seven of fifteen
submarines in construction slips. An
lntensif1cation of these attacks bv
| land-based bombers at least will
make things more difficult for the
Nazl submarine builders.
Thus. the outlook, while not bright.
IS far from hopeless. We are doing
great real, and we can do more, to
| overcome this greatest single menace
to our war program. But there must
be maximum Of effort on our part.
based on full understanding of the
magnitude of the danger.