AUSTRALIA'S DANGER DOUBTED

Evening Star, Issue 24483, 19 April 1943, Page 3

AUSTRALIA'S DANGER DOUBTED

ALLIES STROHGER—ENEMY WEAKER (ltee. 8 a.m.) NEW YORK, Apl. 18. . If the Japanese could not capture Port Moresby and Darwin last year when they wei;e much stronger and the Allies much weaker, they certainly cannot now, according to the argument of some quarters in Washington, which, though not exactly unsympathetic to General Mat-Arthur's wishes, are inclined to doubt that the South-west Pacific situation, is very critical, says Sidney Shallett in the _' New York Times",' reviewing the Pacific. He says that some observers feel that if Australia's danger is as acute .as pictured General MacArthur and the Australian Government would hardly publish, the fact, since they would therelby invite Tokio to fresh conquests. . Washington quarters point out that Japan at Guadalcanal and Midway suffered great losses of warships and air-craft-carriers, considerably circumscribing her striking power. Doubters dispute the logic of the Japanese offensive against Australia, and contend it would be more sensible for the Japanese to build up their defences and attempt to enjoy and exploit the plunder they have already captured in the Netherlands East Indies and Malaya.