ALLIED CONVOY ATTACKED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23881, 25 February 1943, Page 5

ALLIED CONVOY ATTACKED

JAPANESE FAILURE IN SOLOMONS

FIVE TORPEDO-BOMBERS SHOT DOWN (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK. Feb. 23. The first night attack by Japanese torpedo-bombers on an Allied convoy in the southern Solomons ended in disaster for the enemy. It began on the night of February 17 south of Guadalcanar when fire from transports and escorting destroyers shot down five of the eight enemy torpedobombers within 15 minutes. The Japanese opened their attack by dropping parachute flares in the area known as “torpedo junction.” An enemy scout aeroplane had trailed the convoy throughout the afternoon and the raid started just as darkness fell. Not .1 single torpedo hit was scored. The correspondent of the Associated Press of America says: “Japanese flares lit up the ocean like a stage setting, and after the swift battle was over five tell-tale fires on the water marked the end of the destroyed machines. Throughout the attack the convoy maintained its prearranged battle movement, turning and twisting to present the poorest possible target. “When it was over one destroyer radioed to another to say that there were three Japanese airmen in the water. The reply came back: ‘Toss them emergency rations. No time to halt now. We’ll pick them up later.’ ” The fact that the destroyers dropped depth-charges suggests that enemy submarines may have been in the area. Later Tokyo claimed that the Japanese aeroplanes had sunk two destroyers and one transport. The United States Navy reports that early on Monday morning heavy bombers, without loss, attacked Japanese positions in the Solomons at Vilain, on Kolombangara Island, and Munda, on New Georgia. Fires were started in the Munda area. STRENGTH OF U.S. ARMED FORCES “TEN MILLION BEFORE END OF YEAR” EMPHASIS ON MANPOWER NEEDS LONDON, Feb. 23. “The United States must have an army of 8,200,000 and a total of 10,800,000 in the armed forces before the end of the year.” declared the United States Under-Secretary of War (Mr Robert P. Patterson). He added that the latter figure represented only 84 per cent, of the American population, compared with 134 per cent, of the German population in the services. ‘‘Enemy superiority in’the European theatre is of ominous proportions,” he said. “The Axis commands more than 13,000,000 men. Similarly, in the Pacific, the Japanese outnumber the United Nations by many divisions. For that reason the needs of the armed forces must come first. Domestic manpower problems cannot be solved by shrinking the size of the army and navy or granting blanket .deferments to special groups." •> - He added that the problems •of labour turnover and absenteeism had been solved in Britain, Russia, Germany, and Japan, and must be solved in America.

The United States House of Representatives Naval Committee, approving the ‘‘work or fight” principle, has reported that absenteeism, particularly on Saturdays and Mondays, has created a very ugly situation, workers in war plants are not on the job long enough, steadily enough, or reliably enough. The committee has recommended the transfer of absentees into the armed forces if the situation is not corrected. . , . :)l The committee ' Sayfe that' in' sortie commercial shipyards the absentee rate in October reached 14 to 18 per cent., and in one yard it reached between 20 and 30 per cent.

NEW U.S. BATTLESHIP COMMISSIONED

(Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb, -23. The United States Secretary o£ the Navy (Colonel Frank Knox) revealed that the 45,000-ton United States battleship lowa had been commissioned seven months before schedule. Another 45,000-ton ship, the New Jersey, was expected to be commissioned within two months.

The United Press of America says that three similar vessels are under construction. The Navy now has 18 battleships in service.

U.S. AIR ATTACKS IN ALEUTIANS

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, Feb. 23. The United States Navy Department reports that on Monday morning Liberator and medium bombers, escorted by Lightning fighters, bombed Japanese positions on Kiska Island, in the Aleutians. All the American aeroplanes returned.

AUSTRALIAN MINISTER GOING ABROAD

VISITS TO WASHINGTON AND LONDON

(Rec. 11 p.m.) CANBERRA, Feb. 24. The Australian Minister of External Affairs (Dr. H. V. Evatt) wilj make another visit to Washington and London. Making this announcement today, the Prime Minister (Mr J. Curtin) said that his Government had always been of the opinion that the most satisfactory method of consultation with other Allied governments was for a Commonwealth Minister to have consultations in person. Mr Curtin added: “Dr. Evatt made a similar journey last year, the result of which was most satisfactory to Australia and beneficial generally to the Allied cause.”

Political correspondents believe that Dr. Evatt will discuss supply problems in Washington, and the Pacific policy in relation to global strategy in both Washington and London. Dr. Evatt visited both capitals early last year, when the Japanese were sweeping southward and the peril of Australia and New Zealand was very grave.

USE OF AUSTRALIAN MILITIA

(Rec. 12.15 a.m.) CANBERRA, Feb. 24. A Bill to amend the National Security Act to permit the use of the Australian militia anywhere, under the regulation which was passed by the Senate last week, had a brief existence in the Australian House of Representatives. Within three ijiinutes of the House meeting to-day, the Opposition leader (Mr A. W. Fadden) moved the first reading of the Bill. The Prime Minister (Mr J. Curtin) called for a division, and the Bill was defeated by 34 votes to 29.