“ONLY MATTER OF MATHEMATICS”

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20921, 28 September 1939, Page 6

“ONLY MATTER OF MATHEMATICS”

According to Nazi propaganda, the duratiqp of the war is only a matter of mathematics. It is claimed that the British Fleet can be eliminated at the rate of five battleships a month, and that “with the whole fleet sunk the war would be as good as over.” Such an assurance may be comforting to the German people, and may have the desired effect of encouraging them to fight while the delusion lasts, but when the truth is known the realisation will have a disastrous effect on the national morale. German submarines are not sinking even five battleships a month, and have, in fact, sunk only one major naval vessel, the aircraft carrier Courageous. Heavy toll has certainly been taken of merchant shipping, but even in that direction the submarines are becoming less and less a menace to Britain’s security. The organisation of convoys protected by fighting ships has been remarkably successful, and the number of British ships falling victims is steadily declining. In recent days casualties among neutral ships have been more numerous than among British vessels, and there Germany is making a rod for her own back. Scandinavian ships in particular have suffered heavily, and the strongest protests have been made to Germany. Unless Germany takes heed, these protests will probably be followed by more effective action.

Sweden especially is in a strong position to demand respect for her flag. She has been supplying Germany with about 10,000,000 tons of iron ore a year, and Germany is in desperate need of that ore for use in her armament factories. Swedish retaliation by refusing to ship ore would have a disastrous effect on Germany. Even on the other side of the Atlantic, German submarines have made themselves exceedingly unpopular. It is natural that purely American shipping should resent interference and searching by a belligerent for whom there is little sympathy. And continually there is a danger of further incidents such as the sinking of the Athenia making new enemies for the German nation. Germany has not yet shown any reasonable proof that her success through the submarine campaign is only a matter of mathematics.