WAR AGAINST JAPS. IS NO SIDE SHOW

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 290, 7 December 1943, Page 4

WAR AGAINST JAPS. IS NO SIDE SHOW

MR. CURTIN ANXIOUS

Dangers Of Prolonging

Conflict

N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 2.30 p.m. CANBERRA, this day. The urgency of the increasing tempo of war against Japan was stressed by Tvlr. Curtin in a statement on the second anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbour. Merely to hold Japan from further conquests during an unfixed period sufficient to end the European war would suit her strategy admirably. Authoritative conclusions, he declared, demonstrated that to regard Japan as a sideshow, to be disposed of easily after the war had been won over Hitler, was not only idle talk but dangerous talk. Political circles In Canberra attach significance to Mr. Curtin's statement in view of the conferences of Allied leaders at Cairo and Teheran, and the Prime Minister's own conference with General Mac Arthur last week. More Men and Equipment Mr. Ovrlin's statement also suprert.'d. vr-je hints from official (Vjh;-!srs their, more men and equipment coukl bi? well employed in the Kouth-v/erf. P: ;ific area. "As the third year of battle unfolds, there r.esd be no Misgivings, but there :-.ho-v< ; <i :;e no shortcomings," Mr. foveas in the South-west Pfici'ic iiad. with limited resources, ii-.hc.n ovecv Japanese military positthev : attacked. Given a :■ : l'-: 1 fJit: 1 scale of striking power, I'ne .same forces could break into Japan's co, .;;:ered Empire before it c-:uM be f-.iiJv exploited. They could Mien ftri'-.r h" r Japan's inner Empire r.nd m. :> : itself. jr-jutr. r..„< i rich resources and a v-..st : >ool of ; ;lave labour in the 400,OuO.OOO i •-■•• Pie in her conquered Kmsirf One estimate had placed fivo" •■• the time which, if per- j Vuii.rod, Jauun •" • -uld harness the slave and rich resources to war purposes that would make Japan the world's most powerful military nation. The Japanese fighting man was disciplined beyond anything known in Western armies and the Japanese Army' had no equivalent order to "retreat." It was in these two great factors that democracies faced failure to overcome Japan—if the Japanese were allowed time to employ them. Mr. Curtin gave some details of Australia's war effort which, he said, compared with that of any of the United Nations. Australia had 1,181,000 men, practically half the working male population, in direct war work. Australia's Fighting Men Enlistments in the fighting forces were 858,600, almost two in every three men between 18 and 40. Volunteers to fight anywhere numbered 607,000. Australia was spending practically half her national income on war. Direct taxation was virtually at its limit. The loan programme had raised £425,000,000 since Japan struck at Pearl Harbour. Commenting on Mr. Curtin's statement, the Sydney Morning Herald, editorially, points out that the Japanese never banked on a short war. Rather they reckoned* that, having acouired rich resources and consolidated their outer defences, they could fight on until their adversaries became weary of the struggle. In this they are ■ mistaken, says -the paper, which commends Mr. Curtin's emphasis on the formidable nature of the struggle ahead and on the necessity for denying Japanese time in which to exploit their early qonquests.