The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, February 26, 1943. MISSION OF DOMINION MINISTERS.

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1943, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, February 26, 1943. MISSION OF DOMINION MINISTERS.

Probab.ly because of the closer proximity of actual hostilities, the situation in the Pacific is canvassed in Australia more radically than in this country. Neverth'eless the coincidence of the journeys of the Dominion .Minister of Defence and the Australian Minister of External Affairs to the United States and .Britain may be taken to indicate that the identical attitude of these two countries on the question of global strategy is going to be more definitely indicat'ed to those responsible for Allied overall control. This inference is be ing drawn in Australia. Our Prime Minister, yesterday sounding a warning note. hinted that wc could not yet regard our own shores and waters as exempt from enemy activity. It is

acknowledged that on Australia’s behalf Dr. Evatt is going to renew the overtures which he made on his tour a year ago for maximum consideration for the Southern Pacific. Incidentally Aladame Chiang Kai-shek is also pleading in America for greater aid in China’s prolonged .stand, which the Japanese arc now intensifying their endeavours finally to overcome. The “holding” policy in the Pacific is apt to cause the Allied leaders to overlook what Ihe enemy may be doing to consolidate his hold of all the territories he has occupied. The Australian press is convinced that I lie needs of the South Pacific theatre in particular must be kept before .the British ami American Governments. It is certain that we here, as well as other Pacific countries, were better safequarded as the result of !)>• Rvntt’w vivit in Aniori-

ea, which was followed by increased war supplies and the setting up of the Pacific }Var Council at Washington. It is not without significance that Mr. Nash, has just expressed his personal view that New Zealand should grant to flic United States the permanent use of naval and air bases as part’of a mutual system ol‘ defence. Meantime it is evident that an offensive against Japan is being delayed. It may be still further delayed as a result of the latest setback in Tunisia. Though the enemy’s advance there has been definitely checked, it already may entail a delay in his expulsion from North Africa. Consequently the policy of defeating the Germans before attempting an offensive against Japan might mean that the latter will have a much longer period yet in which to strengthen her position. Japan already has vast quantities of war material, auck though her most advanced areas are subject to regular air attack, there is one fact which cannot be ignored. It is that the Allies' have made no progress of a spectacular nature against Japan. The Australians and Americans have fought .superbly in Papua, New Guinea and Guadab

canar, and no blame can be attributed to the active naval and military commanders in the South Pacific. The strategists in Washington and London appear to be acting on the assumption that, because the Germans are, nearest at hand, the really vital moves on the great chessboard of war must bo directed against them alone. The term global strategy implies at least a unified command for the whole Pacific area, not excluding China. It must be remembered that the enemy has a unified commamL known as the Oberste Heerlesli-| tung, which gives all general directions, and selects commanders, whose definition of requirements the O.H.L. must sanction. There, is on the Allied side continued

■ rivalry to obtain war material. It may indeed be too soon to expect a change from the "holding” policy in the Pacific, but as remarked in. Australia, claims for supplies, especially aircraft and ships, to maintain that policy properly, have from time to time - ' to be pressed lest they be ignored. Vigilance and preparedness are i still as urgent in the Southern! Pacific as ever, despite the evi-1 dent effect of aircraft opposition! to the enemy. It may thus be 1 anticipated that the visits of Dr. Evatt and Mr .Jones to America and Europe will- lead to more tip- ! preciable measures of co-ordin-! ation in the Allied plan of earn-1 paign. ' ;