“ONE CHANCE TO STOP JAPAN”

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23495, 25 November 1941, Page 8

“ONE CHANCE TO STOP JAPAN”

Moving U.S. Fleet To Singapore CO-OPERATION WITH BRITISH FORCES WASHINGTON, November 23. The immediate dispatch of the United States Pacific Fleet from Hawaii to Singapore is urged by RearAdmiral Yates Stirling, naval commentator for the United Press of America. "This is the one chance of stopping Japan,” says Rear-Admiral Stirling. “Guarded by this fleet, augmented by British naval forces, Singapore should be safe. Japan, however, wouid probably never allow such a move to go unchallenged. She has a fleet of at least 12 battleships, nine aircraft-car-riers, 40 cruisers, 150 destroyers, and 60 submarines, “She also has an air force of 2000 naval aeroplanes and 3000 army aeroplanes. "If the United States Fleet moved to Singapore the Japanese would probably be mobilised at Cam Ranh Bay, from where they would take the offensive. The Japanese Navy’s ships are equal to any in the world. A war between Japan and the United States would be long and arduous. For America to win would require an all-out effort far exceeding anything most of our people realise. The war would be a naval war, and would have to be fought in waters of Japan’s choosingwaters in which Japan had literally hundreds of bases.” Rear-Admiral Stirling was Chief of Staff of the United States Fleet in 1927. and later was comfnander of the Yangtse patrol, China. He retired in 1936. CONSCRIPTION IN AUSTRALIA OPPOSITION BY TRADE UNIONS ißeceived November 24, 7 p.m.) MELBOURNE, November 24. A warning to the advocates of conscription has been issued by the executive of the Australasian Council ol Trade Unions, which has adopted a resolution declaring that if the conscription issue were raised how it would split the Australian people, with disastrous results to the war effort. The council also resoived “to call the attention of the Australian people to the oft-expressed policy of the trade union movement in opposition to conscriptiop for service overseas.” During the week-end. the DeputyPrime Minister (Mr F. M. Fqrde) and the Minister for the Navy and Munitions (Mr N. J. O. Makin) spoke supporting Mr Curtin in his_ contention that conscription would divide Australia.