WAR ULTIMATELY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 96, 23 April 1940, Page 10

WAR ULTIMATELY

US.A. IN FAR EAST

NAVAL OFFICER'S OPINION

ADVICE ON POLICY

(By Telegraph—* Press Association—Copyright.)

(Received April 23, 9.30 a.m.)

WASHINGTON, April 22,

, Rear-Admiral Taussig, formerly Assistant Chief of Naval Operations, testifying before the Senate Naval Affairs Committee, expressed the opinion that Japan would not atten^pt to take the Philippine Islands, French Indo-China, or the Netherlands Indies.

"I cannot see how we can ulti-^ mately prevent being drawn into war, on account of the situation in the Far East," he said.

He urged the building of an invincible navy, the fortification of the Philippines and Guam, and cooperation with: "Britain and France in the East.

Major George Fielding Eliot,, military writer, expressed the opinion that a Pacific alliance between Britain, America, and the Netherlands would be ineffective because Britain and Holland at present have no freedom of action. He advocated instead an agreement with Australia, and added that if the United States had the support of Australian bases and loaned money to improve them it might be in a better position in the Pacific. Major Eliot, who served with the A.I.F. in the World War, saicT: "Australia and America are in much the same boat. Australia could supply military, naval, and air bases for- the: United States and contribute funds for their construction and maintenance. The United States is very interested in Far Eastern supplies of rubber and tin." Major Eliot paid a tribute to the effectiveness of the British Navy, ( and said he believed the Allies held the advantage in Norway because they were able to transport troops and supplies and to challenge the Germans. Hitler's attempts to maintain sea communications to Scandinavia were disastrous. The British were effectively interrupting communications across the Skagerrak, where it was useless for Britain to risk using capital ships.