Jan, 19.
Coincident with the admission by a Ger~ man broadcaster that his country had lost about 35 submarines, a figure which closely approximated the estimated 30 claimed: by 'M. Campinchi, French Minister of Marine, to have been destroyed by the Allies, comes' account of an article appearing in the Nether~ Jands newspaper "Telegraaf" pointing out the uselessness of the German naval cam= paign against Great Britain, The German admission is interesting as clearly demonstrating the accuracy of the information issued by the Allies from time to time on the subject of anti-submarine activities, and affords an excellent example of the truthfulness which is naturally derived from the Allied disposition to understatement as contrasted with the reckless flamboyancy of the German lie, In this connection Herr Hitler's doctrine that any lie will stick if it is only big enough needs always to be borne in mind, especially when German writers and broadcasters profess great indignation when they and the Reich are accused of handling the truth indelicately. The fact is that it is part and parcel of Der Fuebrer's wh policy. That has been proved time and again. But if the German commentator over the radio admits a loss of about 35 submarines, it may naturally be asked how many have really been lost, for even in this admis~ sion it is not to be believed that he was telling the truth, but something rather less than and the suggestion appears to be that if he $n3r, Uf, therefore, it subsequently transpires that Germany has lost more U-boats than are became President of the Board of Trade and at present admitted it will not be at all sur-pursued the same tactics he might again prising. But, whether that proves to be the meet with the same fate. Mr. Here-Belisha case or not, the fact is that Germany has lost to become a supine Cabinet Minister; in tact inferred that he would never consent about one-half the submarine fleet with which she entered this war. It is true that re-would at all times wish to exert the energy placements may already have been made, which he tackled the problems of Army reform. The conclusion seems to be that but as a test of the Allied reply to the he was forcing the pace, menace of the submarine the figures now and that in any revealed are highly significant, The Allied other office he felt he would wish to do the claims at the beginning of the war, that new same thing wherever he found reform to be inventions ensured adequate means of com-necessary. Shortly after Mr, Chamberlain batting the submarine menace, have been went into office it was commented that. completely justified. That threat is now while Mr. Stanley Baldwin kept his Cabinet means as serious as it was during the last united by a process of cajoling, and seeing war, and, moreover, is now under control, that all got along well together, his successor The remarkable figures showing the great was very much the Prime Minister, and was success of the convoy system state that 6,363 office entirely in his own hands. In determined to father and keep the reins of vessels have been safely escorted in and out of Allied waters, against but twelve vessels connection it may be pointed out that Mr. lost, Losses under the convoy system of Chamberlain has indeed followed that policy, 0.6 per cent. in the last war have now been exercising full control over his administra-reduced to 0.2 per cent, and the special tion but at no time shirking responsibility commentary which contains these statements for the decisions his Cabinet would make. very rightly winds up with the remark that ie, in his turn, refers to changes which "Individual triumphs and setbacks grip effect personalities, particularly when those popular imagination, but the issue will be personalities are as vigorous and well-known decided by the ceaseless flow of convoys to as Mr. Here-Belisha," which tends to support and from British ports." In an attempt to the interpretation of the above passage in offset the relentless pressure which is being the late Secretary of War's speech, and if exerted upon Germany through the blockade, indeed it was a clash of personalities, which the Reich has been driven to desperate mea= brought about his resignation, then his re= sures. Indiscriminate mining, endangering fusal of the presidency of the Board of neutral as well as Allied shipping, and the Trade was not only wise, but, in view of all sink-on-sight-policy followed against neutral the circumstances, inevitable. vessels, are signs of the desperate condition Mr. Chamberlain made it quite plain that in which the German navy finds itself, and there had been no difference of policy beat the same time is an admission that the tween Mr. Here-Belisha and his colleagues, German naval campaign has so completely that the reforms in the Army system had failed that its only chance of success is nothing to do with the decision to make a agai unarmed and unprotected vessels. In change in the Cabinet. No new subjects of an article dealing with the sinking of the Konoye's refusal to accept office the selec~ tion of Admiral Yonai was the next best thing, and, if he continues to have the sup~ port of the Army which the Throne has commanded it to give, the new Premier should be able to face the very difficult duties which lie ahead of him with every prospect of being able to fulfil them satisfactorily to everyone. It is, of course, the irony of fate that the very man who has argued consistently that the Navy should remain aloof from polities should thus be called upon to guide the destinies of the nation, but there are occasions when what appears to be a sound doctrine has to give way to the necessities of the situation, and it is not so much his naval rank as the quality of the man which demanded that he should relinquish former convictions in the service of his country. In some ways the new Cabinet may with justice be regarded as something in the nature of a national ministry, for not only are the services represented, but also the two main political parties, which should result in the new government having the complete confidence of the Diet. It is essential that this should be the case. There efficient in its personnel. Japanese Press reactions show also that it is popular, and it may be said without fear of contradiction that no administration since the commencement of hostilities in China has entered upon its task with a better prospect of success. Huge as the work before it certainly is, it does not appear that it Is faced with any problem which is wholly incapable of solution, and the world will watch with considerable interest and no small sympathy to see how they tackle the job of extricating their country from its present difficulties.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.