The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-11-18
Robots And Our Shores

Germany put the robot plane lnto service
too late to have any material effect upon
The outcome of the war. 1t has taken many
lives and caused great physical damage in
England, to be sure, but it has not and will
not postpone ultimate Allied victory in the
European theater Of war.
But it still possesses tragic possibilities. The
b1 oxen homes and destroyed property In Eng
land due to its use prove this. 1t is not to
be wondered, then, that rumors OF its con-
templated use against American cities are re-
ceiving more than passing attention, especially
as competent observers are agreed that the
Germans, in a last gesture, are all too liable
to experiment with them in or over north
Atlantic waters, launching them from planes
O, submarine decks
Despite our relief from the U-boat menace,
our Eastern seaboard is not free from
buzzbomb threat. In this connection Neal STAN
ford. Washington correspondent, has written
az Illuminating article for the Christian
Science Monitor, which we'll deserves perusal
He writes:
1.-The Army and the Navy have confirmed
that the robot bombing Of the Atlantic Coast
is possibility. They had to because it can't
be denied. Conceivably, a German Submarine
could penetrate coastal waters, surface. and
fire buzzbomb that would land somewhere
OF American soil Presumably some German
naval craft could approach East Coast waters
and catpult plane Of rocket bomb toward
Boston. New York, Washington, or points
south.
And, though it takes some stretch Of the
ina gination to believe it, a super-robot or
rocket projectile might even be fired from
continental Europe and traversing the stratos-
phere plummet down in the Western Hernis-
phere After weeks and months Of silence on
this subject, the armed services at last have
spoken up. They have at last admitted it's
possibility, though not its probability. And they
have further admitted that there was no way
OF making absolutely sure that such robomb
would not penetrate American defense.
Such statements should reassure us rather
than frighten us. For they inform us that the
armed services are aware of the possibility
OF such raids, that they are preparing what
defenses they can. They forewarn us indiv.
dually of possible dangers and give US each
time to adjust ourselves mentally to such
Possibilities. And the very acknowledgement
that such raids are even now possible should
destroy an false hopes remaining anywhere
In America that 5000 miles OF Atlantic Ocean
still constitute an impregnable defense
Recently, residents along the New England
rfh =
that high-flying rockets had dropped not on
the coast, but some miles off land Certainly,
the chances are that it is only another Of
those shiftings in the Atlantic coastal ledge
which are fairly frequent. But it seems to
have Jared some of the COASTAL inhabitants.
There is no doubt it brought the war i'm
rneasurably neared to those who felt the trem-
ors and heard the rumor Whether fact or
fancy, reports of rockets either on or off the
American coast makes Britain's travail more
real, makes Aachen's destruction more per-
sonal, makes our determination to enforce the
peace more certain.
"Of course, the chances that Nazi SUBJ
marine might surface off the East Coast and
launch a buzzbomb or two are small. The
coast is well patrolled. Still it could be done.
How? Lengthy launching platforms would not
be needed. The rockets could be jet-propelled
from platform the length Of a submarine
Their wings would create something of prob
lem. But there's no reason why the three
parts to the buzzbomb couldn't be carried
separately and then assembled on deck. Not
as simple as firing torpedo, yet it could
be done.
The possibility OF a robot bomb catapulted
from plane in midocean being able to pene
trste our defenses seems more remote. Fol-
its presence should be detected long before
it reached land. A submarine might be able
. to sneak in some dark night and fire bomt
3 at random. But planes approach should b
, spotted under present protective measure lon1
before il reached land
r while one deplores the Nazis' development
ard use Of vengeance weapons, the buzzbomD
: the flying telegraph pole" there is the con
ISOLATION to be drawn from their usage in tn