The Third World War

SSS LE LN (Pg San \ ee JAMES BURNHAM San

“P & O, the world’s biggest passenger fleet, has decided to route its liners round the Cape for the whole of 1968, it was announced last night. The line is normally among the most impor- tant users of the Suez Canal, contri- buting heavily to Egyptian coffers on the way to Australia and the Far East : P & O Lines’ man- aging director, Peter Parry, said, ‘To maintain an efficient service it is vital that we plan well ahead and are not in- fluenced by the uncertainty which surrounds the Suez Canal.’” (Financial section, London Times, Dec. 2.) Burnham Mr. Parry’s decision is surely pru- dent. The Egyptian-Israel political deadlock must be broken before a start can be made on the technical job of reopening the Canal for traffic. There will be a long time, moreover, between the start and finish of the technical job, and the longer for every day of closure. The sunken ships must be raised. No one seems to know how many there are or whether it is true, as the Egyptians say, that several of them were full of cement. The silting of the channel can be controlled only by continual dredging, and there has been no dredging since June. Most of the pilots, technicians and workers have been evacuated, along with the general population, from the Canal zone. The locks, dredges and other equipment are not being properly maintained. The pool of skilled men is being dissipated without any ae ee to train replacements.

JB

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James Burnham

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SSS LE LN (Pg San \ ee JAMES BURNHAM San

“P & O, the world’s biggest passenger fleet, has decided to route its liners round the Cape for the whole of 1968, it was announced last night. The line is normally among the most impor- tant users of the Suez Canal, contri- buting heavily to Egyptian coffers on the way to Australia and the Far East : P & O Lines’ man- aging director, Peter Parry, said, ‘To maintain an efficient service it is vital that we plan well ahead and are not in- fluenced by the uncertainty which surrounds the Suez Canal.’” (Financial section, London Times, Dec. 2.) Burnham Mr. Parry’s decision is surely pru- dent. The Egyptian-Israel political deadlock must be broken before a start can be made on the technical job of reopening the Canal for traffic. There will be a long time, moreover, between the start and finish of the technical job, and the longer for every day of closure. The sunken ships must be raised. No one seems to know how many there are or whether it is true, as the Egyptians say, that several of them were full of cement. The silting of the channel can be controlled only by continual dredging, and there has been no dredging since June. Most of the pilots, technicians and workers have been evacuated, along with the general population, from the Canal zone. The locks, dredges and other equipment are not being properly maintained. The pool of skilled men is being dissipated without any ae ee to train replacements.