Show r Washington Round Merry-Go-Round Pearson By earson Drew S I W WASHINGTON WASHINGTON Here Here is one reason why we needed the I Azores so badly as an antisubmarine antisubmarine antisubmarine I marine base The U-boats U not only have new devices but also a new strategy and may converge converge converge con con- verge around the bottleneck to the Mediterranean between the Azores and Gibraltar Devices Latest Devices Latest nazi torpedoes torpedoes torpedoes torpe torpe- does are superior to the former type which exploded only on con con- tact New torpedoes are exploded exploded exploded ex ex- ex- ex First on contact second second second sec sec- ond by magnetic attraction on oncoming oncoming oncoming coming close to the steel hull third by the vibration of the engin engines engines en en- gin gines s of the ship under attack This makes males it possible for the submarine ne to succeed in its mission mission mis mission mis- mis sion much more frequently than before A torpedo is much less likely to miss since missing actual actual actual ac ac- ac- ac contact with the target does not now mean as previously that it misses the target Strategy Strategy Convoys Convoys have now discovered that nazi subs are hunting in packs o of s sufficient number to employ the same sort of naval strategy which large units of naval vessels are able to use A group of submarines will surface on one side of the convoy and thus decoy the escort vessels in that direction Meantime Meantime Mean Mean- til time e another group of submarines submarines submarines rines on the other side sidd of the convoy will approach within easy firing range and discharge their torpedoes Observers believe however that the main artery of commerce commerce commerce com com- merce from the United States to the European theater of war warthe warthe warthe the the north Atlantic run run run-is is still so well guarded that the submarine submarine rine line menace is licked so far a as that run Is concerned It is feared however that the nazis will now strike at another vulnerable vulnerable vulnerable point namely the straits of Gibraltar Since these straits must be passed by all allied merchant merchant merchant mer mer- chant shipping supplying the Mediterranean Mediterranean theater of war Including north Africa Sicily Sardinia Corsica Italy and the Adriatic not Adriatic not to mention all aU the shipping now passing through the Mediterranean bound for forthe forthe forthe the straits of Suez and India India India- this this' ar area a is due for a concen concen- concentrated concentrated concentrated submarine attack l r In spite of the White House the 0 OP P A and all the economic stabilizers In Washington yo you must soon expect to find the price of strawberry jam increasing increasing Increasing ing sharply The pound one-pound jar of strawberry jam from the new pack will cost you 5 cents more morein morein morein in the grocery store All dried fruits and vegetables also are going up in price at the canner level This will mean In Increases increases increases in- in creases at the retail level except for a few fruits and vegetables now being subsidized Jean F. F Carroll new head of the food price division was asked recently by an 0 O P A associate associate associate as as- as- as What are we going to say to the press when they find that these increases are being permitted 1 There just isn't any answer said Carroll except to tell the truth O 0 P A was visited recently bythe by bythe bythe the Florida delegation in congress congress con con- gress urging an increase in the price of winter potatoes in order to help Florida growers But remonstrated Carroll how can I operate a food price division when on one hand congress congress con con- gress legislates parity for farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers and on the other h hand nd the president orders food prices kept at the September 15 1942 level 1 It seems axiomatic that there must b be a subsidy one place or another either another either at the farmer level or at the processing level Pan American Air Airways way s threatened by competition from other air lines operating In the foreign field under army transport transport trans trans- port command has been racking racking racking rack rack- ing its brain trying to protect its paramount position Now it proposes a giant U U. S. S monopoly far for foreign air line operation This monopoly would bring to together together together to- to gether all U. U S S. S air lines desiring desiring desir desir- ing to operate abroad but it would be a single company with unified direction The adoption or rejection of ot this plan is today one of the most hotly debated questions backstage in the capital Certain Certain Certain tain state department officials are strongly partisan to the plan and it 1 it has the support of powerful Pan American Airways Airways Airways Air Air- ways which cleverly appointed as its directors such government government government govern govern- ment officials as Leo Crowley Norman Davis of the American Red Cross Admiral Standley recent ambassador to Russia Charles Francis Adams sec ex of the navy and Lyman Delano first cousin of F D R. R However an elaborate document document document docu docu- ment has been prepared by the civil aeronautics board expressing expressing expressing express express- ing strong opposition to such a corporation and to the whole idea of In international monopoly air I lines Here are some of the arguments arguments m ments presented in that document document document docu docu- ment menta a It is desirable to avoid a awit wit scramble among many companies for foreign operating rights but this does not mean that one company should have all the rights Different routes should be allotted to different U. U S. S lines 2 C CAB A B would prevent confusion confusion confusion con con- fusion by hearing petitions of all applicants and authorizing only one or possibly two for forthe forthe forthe the heavy traffic of the north Atlantic run to apply for foreign foreign foreign for for- eign landing rights 3 Competition always makes for better service lower rates better equipment etc 4 Monopoly is indifferent to the development of new lines which would Involve financial risk whereas competing lines would undertake such risk to the advantage of the public The entire question is still before CAB and it has made madeno no public pronouncement |