WAR ON U-BOATS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 191, 11 May 1944, Page 5

WAR ON U-BOATS

Number Sunk Exceeds That Of Allied Ships LONDON, May 9. The United Nations’ anti-submarine activity in April continued at a highly satisfactory level, says a joint AngloAmerican statement issued under the authority of Mr. Churchill and President Roosevelt. It adds: “Again, for another month, the extraordinary fact continues that the number of enemy submarines sunk exceeds the number of Allied merchantmen sunk by submarines.” ECONOMIC WARFARE Takes Cutting Edge Off Nazi Weapons (Britisli Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 9. The efficiency and effect of the blockade, and other activities of the Ministry of Economic Warfare, were discussed by the House of Lords today. Lord Nathan, who introduced a motion, said that the blockade had given Britain valuable time to prepare for the final blow against the enemy. The economic warfare had taken “the cutting edge off the German war machine.” Lord Selborne, replying for the Government, said that the Navy had a much more difficult task in" this war than in the last, but blockade-running had practically ceased, except for a few submarines. .Cargoes sunk between Germany and Japan included 45,000 tons of rubber, 15,000 tons of tungsten, 17,000 tons of tiu, 25,000 tons of oils, and other items of great importance, such as quinine. He said that during the whole of the war not more than. 5 per cent, of neutral imports had been “cloaked” enemy goods, and at the present time it was less than half of 1 per cent. The black list had proved- a powerful weapon against that form of trading. It had meant the bankruptcy of firms which had persisted. Lord Selborne said he was sorry to see the recent agreement with Spain referred to in some quarters as a defeat of Spain. The agreement was satisfactory to Spain, and meant the defeat of Germany. Though Germany had set out to organize the whole of the resources of Europe, these resources were not inexhaustible if they were not replenished from outside. He did. not suggest that Germany would collapse because of a shortage of this or that, but the enemy s stocks, once so plentiful, were seriously depleted, and the submarine blockaderunning could do little to replenish them. Neutrals were becoming increasingly aloof, and the air bombardment of Germany was accentuating Germany’s supply problem. “For these reasons the difficulties or Hitler’s generals are being increased every day by the growing scarcity of essential- commodities,” he said. “Therefore any neutral who now sends Germany . war material is simply prolonging the war, and we shall certainly continue to do our ‘best to -prevent that happening. Mr. Stauton Griffis, representative of the United States foreign economic administration, said he had come to Sweden to try to settle the question of Swedish supplies of ball-bearings to Germany on a purely business basis, states a Press Association message from Stockholm. He would negotiate directly with the firms concerned, not the Swedish Government. The British Government was in complete agreement with his proposed course of action. __________——