Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1942. PACIFIC FRONT.

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 July 1942, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1942. PACIFIC FRONT.

pQEW ZEALANDERS hear less about the Avar front nearest their own shores, than about those thousands of miles distant, which may. or may not, mean that little is doing on the Pacific front. Official reticence invites conjecture, and Mr. Fraser’s visit to Australia, to discuss war problems with Mr. Curtin and Genera] MacArthur, will increase the public tendency to speculate. The comparative lull on the Pacific front cannot last indefinitely, if it suits both Allies and Axis to be given time and opportunity to strengthen their forces, supplies, and organisation. The Allies are now better armed for a major clash with the Japanese, who are exhausting the advantage their early enterprises gave them. • The more that is revealed about the Japanese treacherous attack on Pear] Harbour, the greater is seen the effect on later events of this Japanese success. Had the Americans been less unsuspecting and unprepared, the whole story of the Far Eastern campaign would have been altered. It is easy to ('ensure the U.S.A, officials responsible for the Hawaiian disaster, but there is truth in rhe explanation given for the Americans being caught napping, that it was a case of the guileless good being overcome by the unscrupulous

evil. To use one of their own colloquialisms fin* Americans were “sold for a sucker.’'

and paid the penalty. From then on, they resolved to make the -Japanese pay dearly for their treachery, and. already, something’ has been done in that direction. However, the major offensive requires time for development, but when the U.S.A, preparations are complete. Pearl Harbour will be avenged to the full, and danger of attack on Australia and New Zealand, greatly minimised, if not enlireIv removed.

Neither the Dominion, nor the Commonwealth, also unprepared against Japanese invasion. Ims been content “to leave it to the Americans.’' Both have endeavoured to develop their powers of aggression as well as defence, and the fruits of these efforts will be seen in due course. Australia is inevitably more in the picture than is New Zealand, both as a target for enemy attack, and for the extent of her own war efforts. Much has been heard about her errors ami shortcomings, but she is gradually putting her house in order. Special interest is attached Io the settlement secured at a conference between Federal Government leaders and coalminers’ representatives, to minimise strikes and idle days at mines. Mr. Curtin has been forced to adopt a stronger attitude to the malcontents, whose activities were seriously lessening coal production. The Miners’ Federation has promised to take disciplinary action, if this is warranted. It is to be hoped that further trouble will be avoided but it would be premature to count upon this. New Zealand has first-hand experience of the difficulty of preventing unnecessary stoppages of work at coalmines. She is now appealing to Australia for supplies of coal, a contrast to the former policy of minimising imports from her neighbour. The Allies’ Pacific front is weakened by every internal dissension, each of which delays the day when a major offensive can be launched against the Japanese.