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Show ox e vt Pearson Washington, D. C. NEW TYPE CONVOYS Behind all the guessing and speculation specu-lation over convoys aroused by the President's fireside chat is this one basic fact. The old-fashioned form of convoy already is outmoded, and, as Roosevelt indicated at a recent press conference, it will not be used. But the new-fashioned form of convoy con-voy already is in use and will be intensified. This is convoy by airplane patrol, using airplane carriers and nearby islands or bases. The destruction of the Bismarck showed how effective effec-tive this airplane convoy could be. Airplanes flying above the water can sight the submarine below the water miles away, whereas a surface sur-face vessel cannot sight a submarine more than a mile or so away. Therefore you can expect to see a network of United States airplanes criss-crossing back and forth across the north Atlantic, assisted in part by surface warships, but extending all the way to Ireland. The Pacific Fleet With this settled, the most important impor-tant strategic problem being discussed dis-cussed in backstage navy circles is that of bringing the mighty Pacific fleet from - that ocean into the Atlantic At-lantic to prevent Nazi seizure of the mid-Atlantic islands and to be ready for other major eventualities. Every detail in connection with such a shift has been discussed. And while there have been some hot behind-the-scenes arguments, the one thing upon which the admirals ad-mirals all agree is that the fleet must be kept together. To split it into-small units and send some of them to the Atlantic, in their opinion, opin-ion, would be disastrous. Battleships must have their accompanying cruisers, destroyers, etc., and they cannot be divided. Naturally, the idea of the fleet withdrawing from the Pacific is enough to raise the hair on the heads of most people on the West coast. However, the navy has worked out a plan whereby it is confident that the West coast would be in no real danger. The plan is extremely important, because it illustrates the new type of warfare made possible by the long distance bomber. Also it gives the key to Roosevelt's convoy plans. Finally it illustrates what the Nazis could do to the United States if the plan were reversed in the Atlantic. Key to the plan is Hawaii and the Aleutian islands. The admirals are reasonably confident that long distance dis-tance patrol planes ranging out from Hawaii in the mid-Pacific and from the Aleutians in the north Pacific would be sufficient to spot any Japanese ship approaching American waters. And air torpedoes torpe-does of the type which crippled the Bismarck could do the rest. In fact, the entire Bismarck incident has been a striking demonstration that long-distance bombers plus island bases have revolutionized warfare in both oceans. Azores and Canaries. Now if you transpose the map of the Pacific onto the map of the Atlantic, At-lantic, you will also get an idea of why Roosevelt bore down so heavily on the importance of the Azores, the Canary and Cape Verde islands in his fireside chat. For the Azores are the Hawaii of the mid-Atlantic, while the Canaries and Cape Verdes might be compared to the Aleutians in reverse position. Whoever holds these stepping-stones stepping-stones across the Atlantic can sweep that ocean with naval patrol planes and bombers, just as the U. S. fleet can sweep the Pacific from Hawaii and the Aleutians. If we hold these Atlantic Islands, then we hold the gateway to the Atlantic. If Hitler holds them, he controls the first step toward Brazil and the rest of the way is easy. These were some of the things Roosevelt studied on the large-scale maps of the navy department before be-fore he made his broadcast. Another vital point he studied was not mentioned in his broadcast; because be-cause no one is talking publicly about the fact that the British may have to withdraw from Gibraltar, even from the Mediterranean altogether. al-together. But in case of such a withdrawal, a glance at the map will show that these three sets of islands the Azores, Canaries and Cape Verdes could help to replace Gibraltar. Gi-braltar. They sit astride the entrance to the Mediterranean, and long-range bombing planes based on those islands is-lands could make it hot for any expeditionary ex-peditionary force heading out of the Mediterranean for the Americas. ATI of these are reasons why you can expect vital action regarding the Atlantic islands. CAPITAL CHAFF Every year Horner Cummings holds "The Attorney General's Golf Tournament" at Pinehurst, N. C, an event started when he was running run-ning the justice department. Chief rule is: "If any man brings hip wife, he's never invited again." Herr Hans Thomson, head of the German embassy In Washington. Is taking vitamin pills. He quotes Milo Perkins as saying vitamins arc necessary nec-essary to oirset lack of nourishing elements In the depleted soil of America, |