CAUTION ADVISED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 105, 30 October 1942, Page 5

CAUTION ADVISED

NAVY EXPLANATION OF COMMUNIQUE

NEW YORK, October 28

The Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" says that officials here are encouraged by the revelation of the comparatively high Japanese casualties in the land fighting on Guadalcanal, but that the navy spokesman issued a caution against optimistic interpretations of the communique, pointing out that it does not indicate a Japanese withdrawal from any of their strategic sites, and that the Japanese defeat simply means that a lull has occurred in the fighting.

The spokesman did not explain the communique's omission of reports covering fighting in the last four days, but insisted that communications with Guadalcanal remain open, and that the paucity of news indicates that the Japanese on Guadalcanal and supporting bases such as Russell Island had slowed down the attack, awaiting news from the sea.

It has been repeatedly emphasised that the battle on Guadalcanal probably will not be decisive. The ultimate fate of the island is expected to rest oq the outcome of the present sea and air war of manoeuvre by the Japanese and American naval "forces.

Tokio official radio repeated claims to a victory in the Solomons, qualified with a warning by nayal quarters that the battle was still in progress and that the final result therefore could not foe foreseen.

The naval commentator added: "This is one of the greatest naval battles since the outbreak of war."