ALLIED WEAKNESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 108, 3 November 1942, Page 5

ALLIED WEAKNESS

SPLIT IN COMMAND AREA

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

(Special Australian Correspondent.) ! (Rec. 1 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 3. The maximum effort of the Allies in this theatre could only be achieved under unified control, declared the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr. W. M. Hughes. For a generation Japan had concentrated on building up what was ! proving to be the greatest military I power in the world. American and Australian troops were not faring well against her. ■ "At best, we are holding our own, but no moi-e than that," Mr. Hughes said. Japan's soldiers move under unified control and with complete coordination of the sea, land, and air forces. They are not confined to prescribed areas beyond which they cannot operate. COULD MOVE TROOPS. "Tomorrow the troops from Rabaul or Kokoda could be moved to Guadalcanal. There are no artificial lines limiting the authority of the Japanese High Command." Against such an enemy the Allies in the Solomons could muster .their forces only within the area allotted to an American admiral. Although he might be in danger of being overwhelmed by superior numbers, he could not call on General Mac Arthur's forces, since they were outside his area. The fact that the Japanese make no distinction between the battle for' the Solomons and the battle for New Guinea, regarding them as part of one campaign, is also stressed by the "Glasgow Herald." STILL IN THE BALANCE. Commenting editorially on the South Pacific situation, the paper says that the fate of Guadalcanal is still in the balance, adding: "In fact. General Macj Arthur's communique announcing the latest raids on Japanese shipping begins with the words "supporting the general Solomons operations." is likely to increase rather than allay misgivings about the lack of unity of American command in this area."