DR. EVATT’S MISSION TO U.S.

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 190, 8 May 1943, Page 5

DR. EVATT’S MISSION TO U.S.

Opposition Member’s Criticism

AUSTRALIA’S DANGER (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received May 7, 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 7.

“If danger to Australia is as great as Dr. Evatt would lead the American public to believe —and even the Australian public is mystified about the position—then the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, should immediately go to Washington.” is made by Mr. J. P. Abbott, a prominent member of the Commonwealth Opposition, who has accused Dr. Evatt, the Australian Minister of External, Affairs, now in Washington, of creating bad feeling between the United States Government and the Commonwealth. Mr. Abbott emphasized that there had been no published complaint from New Zealand concerning the flow of war supplies into the southern Pacific area. The tone of Mr. Abbott’s statement is not in accord with the published opinions of Australian war observers in the southwest Pacific or those writing from the United States. Correspondents in Washington have emphasized the happy personal relations existing between Dr. Evatt and leading members of both the United States Government and the civil and service administrations, as being an important factor in securing a sympathetic hearing for Australia’s case for increased war supplies. — , ~ The Washington correspondent of the “Sydney Morning Herald” today quotes a high American Government official as saying that from now on a “substantial number” of aircraft will go to the south-' west Pacific. He added that Dr. Evatt’s mission had been responsible for a considerable modification of the conditions under which the augmented air allotment was promised to the air commander in the south-west Pacific, Lieut.-General Kenney, who recently visited Washington. American naval authorities, it is stated, agree with Australian opinion that Japan’s naval striking power in the Pacific has not been seriously weakened, and that her main battle fleet virtually has not yet seen action. However, lack of repair and replacement facilities for merchant shipping is considered to be a limiting factor in the Japanese plans. - Optimism Not Shared.

“There is considerable optimism in some American quarters concerning the progress of the war against Japan,’ writes an Australian correspondent, “but this optimism is not shared by all observers.”

Despite the comparative lull in the south-west Pacific war, observers here are generally agreed that danger signals are still flying. Among these are the intermittent heavy Japanese air raids in the north and the submarine drive off the eastern coast of Australia, recently announced by General SlacArthur. “These moves,” says the “Sydney Morning .Herald” editorially today, .“are obviously part of a concerted plan. The Japanese strategy is essentially offensive. Offensive action won them a rich empire and a strong position from which to defend it. It. seems incredible that, with their main fighting power still unimpaired, they will bo content to stand passively along their perimeter and not hit .out from bases equally suited to offence or defence. “These shrewd, tenacious enemies, no less than ourselves, have learned the lesson of land-based airpower. They have found that they cannot move their naval forces and transports without control of the skies. Hence they have concentrated on clearing abundant airstrips tin the islands and building up a strong air fleet which can bo moved rapidly around the arc.

“Intensified submarine warfare to interrupt the flow of supplies to Australia is the logical complement of this design. To allow the Japanese to gain command in the air in the southern Pacific is to invite a repetition of last year’s disaster. The struggle of the coming months in this theatre will more than ever be a struggle for aerial supremacy, and the initiative in the sea and land attack will rest with the winner. Australia needs the promised aircraft.” CANBERRA, May 7. Declaring that the attack by Mr. Abbott on the mission to America of Dr. Evatt would do Australia harm, the Federal Treasurer. Mr. Chifley, said today that relations between the United States and Australian Governments were entirely harmonious. “Nothing Dr. Evatt has done or said is calculated 'to impair that harmony,” added Mr. Chifley.