PACIFIC ERRORS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 7, 9 January 1942, Page 6

PACIFIC ERRORS

DEBATED IN COMMONS

NOT A SECONDARY

WAR

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 2 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 8. In the House of Commons debate, Dr. L. Haden Guest (Labour) said: "Our strategy lacks imagina : tion. We cannot afford to concentrate entirely on the war in Europe and leave the war in the Pacific in a subordinate position because it is j as important as anything going on in the West. \ "Recent blunders are essentially political, although the damage is military. One of the greatest blunders is the failure to get j India's 400,000,000 wholeheartedly into the war." j Dr. Guest urged the need for an Empire War Council, emphasising the special needs of New Zealand and Australia. Commander Sir A. R. Southby (Conservative) said it would be utter folly to deny that Singapore and its adjacent aerodromes arid defences were vital. Singapore's peril was the peril of New Zealand and Australia. The Government would have to listen to criticism from. Australia. ' Sir P. A. Harris (Liberal) said that the position in the Far East-was to be attributed to the absence of co-ordin-ated planning. There ■ was an inclination to suggest that the Pacific was a secondary theatre of war, but Japan could irrepai-ably damage material possessions and British prestige and relations with Dominions ,who came to Britain's help in her darkest hour. IMPERIAL CABINET ASKED. ; Advocating an imperial War Cabinet, Sir P. A. Harris declared: "If it was important in the last war, it is tenfold more . important now when the life and independence of the Dominions are threatened."

Mr. E. L. Granville (Liberal Nationalist) said that .the Washington declaration was welcomed in the Press and Parliament, but that in a world of deeds it was the Russian cockerel which saved the necks of a. few chickens. There must be something wi'ong when Mr. Curtin had communication direct with President Roosevelt.

The British Government did not appear to have been in touch with Dominions opinion in ' the last; few months. "I have long advocated an Empire War Cabinet, which I am convinced will come," he said. MATERIAL LEFT AT FENANG. In the House of Lords, Lord Addison asked the Government to ascertain who was responsible for the inadequate defence of Penang. He alleged that a large amount of valuable stores, and even shipping, was left behind undamaged for the Japanese. It was difficult to find a parallel for the series of misfortunes in Malaya, he said, recalling the optimistic statements attributed to the Air Chief Marshal, Sir R. Brooke Popham, before the Japanese attacked. Lord Addison said: "I dp not apologise for my language in- saying that I am glad a nincompoop of this kind was promptly removed from his command and succeeded by General Wavell."

Lord Strabolgi said that Hong Kong could have been held indefinitely and made the-4oridgehead for operations if Britain had recruited the Chinese who were British subjects during the last two and a half years. Britain could have raised at least six Chinese divisions, and their munitions could have been manufactured oh the spot.

Similarly there were 2,000,000 Chinese in Malaya who hated the Japanese and would have beaten the invaders if recruited. There was obviously . a great deal lacking in the civil defence in Malaya.