The Wilmington morning star., 1943-06-01
Interpreting
The War
BY GLENN BARR

lieve that the Allies are win,;,.
one of the decisive battles Of ~
war, one that will contribute or.,
more to the ultimate victory tb.n
any of our triumphs thus far M.
is the battle of the Atlantic. II.
grim, also secret struggle again.
the U-boats on which Hitler b.,
staked so great a share of h.
hopes of averting destruction
Unlike the great land campaig,.
this contest is without the brI
liant climaXes that make the h.,
headlines and set the bells IS
ringing. There is no final citadoI
to be stormed, no great army n
be beaten into capitulation.
AS long as Germany coptnpo,
fighting there probably never will will
come a time when it can be said
definitely and finally that s tbs
Battle Of the Atlantic has beao
won. Captain Lovette, chief a,
the Navy's public relations bv'
reau, says that ''even on the las,
day of the war we may expect tn
lose some ships" But as Ionr
as the Allied navies can keao
shipping losses to current figuroS
and the shipyards, especially
those of the United States, can
maintain the current rate of nro.
duction Hitler definitely is losiro
In the Atlantic. His primary oh.
Jective is to prevent the delivery
of the great military resources
now flowing from American fac.
tories to theaters of operations
across the Atlantic and in this bo
is falling.
Today or tomorrow the German
high command probably will pub.
ish its usual monthly report on
alleged submarine sinkings GOV.
ering May. Judging from the
tone of Berlin's recent comments
on news from the front and from
figures already broadcast the
total is likely to be one of he
lowest since the Battle of the AT.
lantic began in earnest, probably
around 100000 tons or even less
The Allies do not publish anv
comparable totals and experience
has shown these German monthly
reports to be exaggerated.
But even taking them at face
value for the sake Of the COM
parison, it is clear now that Al
lied shipbuildings, especially the
output of American shipyards, is
piling up each month a tremen.
dous margin, well over 100000
tons, over ship losses. The goal
for American construction this
year is over 100000 deadweight
tons, or 100000 tons a month,
which is approximately four times
the sinkings. And the evidence is
that this rate already is being
achieved and that the years goal
will be reached.
But equally important is the
work of the British, Canadian and
American navies and air forces in
keeping the submarine menace in
ever more restricted bounds. In
this rspect a striking change has
been wrought in the submarine
war in recent months. The rate
of killings of U-boats has been
rising rapidly and the wolf packs
are finding the hunting daily more
hazardous.
This is reflected in Berlins own
accounts. The high commands
Sunday communique said that our
submarines in recent days have
been engaged in the severest con-
voy struggles in the north and
south Atlantic" The fighting, it
said, is marked by great en-
bitterment. A German naval Of
ficer, writing in the Voelkischer
Beobachter, said ''it must not be
concealed that the battle Tin the
Atlantic) is indescribably difficult
and demands unimaginable deter
mination in the pace OF the Weatn'
er and the enemy's defense. -
All this supports the cautious
statements of Allied leaders teSu-
flying to a favorable turn IN the
war ON the U-boats. There may
be, probably will be, setbackS IN
this conflict still to be endured
But the current trend seems 10
have continued too long and Voo
surely to be reversed by anythlntS
Hitler can do. Unless ne can oo
something to change 1t his nope
of halting the transatlantic Ho"
of the output of American war III
dustry dWindles to nothing.