The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-10-31
Must Be Last War
BY NEAL STANFORD

tive UIlSS, Ouc ody, ILLS WSSh, w dSu1uS-
ton correspondents lived through buzzbomb
RAIDS. Vcarously, to be sure, and the RAIDS
were only nine minutes each.
But that was more than enough for most
1t was more than enough to persuade all that
in these robot bombs, these rocket bombs
rumors Of atomic bombs, the world had some
thing which, if not controlled would destroy
it Truly the world has a bear by the tail
and can't let 60. Its only choce to tame t..
Buzzb bombs have such tremendous destruc-
I've potentialities that despite Briain's suf-
fering from this menace that has killed over
5000, injured 10000 more, destroyed $4,000
homes, churches, hospitals, stores, schools in
London, and damaged 100000 more, we have
only begun to feel its power of devastation.
That lesson was shouted from every foot Of
the flm-with appropriate sound effects-that
the British Information Service showed, for
the first time either in Britain or the United
States, to the Washington press corps. We
saw these bombs hurting through Britain S
Skies morning, noon, and. night. We heard
them looming overhead as rescue crews dug
out hapless victims of vi. We watched them
in fascination plummet to earth and explode
in blast of smoke. And we goried in Britain S
de1enses, ack-ack gun crews. Spitfires, barrage
balloons hat cought over half of the 5000 me-
chanical buZzards in flight. But thousands out
SPED defenses. We realized only too well why
buszz- bombs were not peculiarly British prob
lenl-why they were our problem as we'll
This nine-minute capsule of buzz-bomb ter
ror it is expected, will shortly be shown wide
spread over the United States. Its purpose is to
educate, to awaken, to arouse-not to enter
isin or cause fear. For while $4,000, 900 Britons
know that the buzz-bonb, the rocket bomb,
the automic bomb have made this war civili-
zation's last hope. there is no similar assur-
ance that 1850 Americans are irrevoca-
bly, committed to working to make this the last
war, 1t may be their aim, but is it their de-
termination?
The vi, or bu-bonb, is still hitting Eng
land from time to time. Capture of the Calais
coast has not ended the danger. Launching
platforms with shortened German lines can
still speed robots over England. Planes also
car launch these robots, and have So for
Britain, the Battle of the Robomb is still not
over.
Theoretically, America is not immune from
| the possibility of robot bombings. German U
beats still prowl up and down the Atlantic
coast. If a plane can be launched from a
submarine, why not robot bombs? They might
hsve to be modified versions, since subma
rlnes aren't long enough for serving as launch
ing platforms for the present bozz- bomb. They
could certainly not come over any American
seacoast area one minute as they have
over London. They might be able to launch
two or three or four.
| But they would only be vengeance shots
involving all the inaccuracies of such bomb
ings. The whole thing, to use favorite WORD
of President Roosevelt, is very 'iffy.' If the
Nazis have adapted buzZ-bombs to U-boat use
and if they are persuaded even the weakest
token bombing of America would have psy
geological benefits, they might spend valuable
manpower and resources that way. But the
chances seem slight. Some authoritative
sources here believe it impossible.
There is no doubt, though, that Germany
is experimenting with new types OF rookie
bombs of larger and deadlier variety A Stock
holm report that the Nazis have some super
rocket bomb is common gossip here Some
times it's a 4O-foot robot with "atomlc ex
nlosive features Other times it's 4O-ton pro
iectile that can, theoretically at least, be hurl
ed 3 900 miles It is rumored to be as large al
sherman tank and the destructive posi-
hilities Of having tank full Of high explosives
cra sh in your backyard after 3,000-nile rock
ct ride through space is best left to you
imagination II W. comes up to certain ru
nors. it is possible that some day one o.
two might come hurting across the Atlantic
OF course they might fall 500 to 1000 miles
OF their objective.
AS an Army Air Forces officer commented
most things are possible technically,
course but there do seem to be Immense
technical difficulties involved" Germany, hi
lexplained. was no doubt working to develol