DESIGNS ON UPPER BURMA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 99, 26 March 1942, Page 5

DESIGNS ON UPPER BURMA

STUBBORN ALLIED RESISTANCE. LONDON, March 25. In order to protect the Burma Road and communications in Upper Burma Japanese pressure is being stubbornly resisted along a front now running roughly but not continuously southward from Sandoway to Promc and Toungoo on the Burma-Thailand border, savs the Times' Delhi correspondent. With Chinese . reinforcements coming into this area from the northwest the strategic value of the Shan States becomes apparent in the Allied plans designed to prevent the isolation of China from India. The political . boundaries between Tndia and Burma have virtually ceased to exist and North-Eastern India and Upper Burma are being integrated as the most important military zone of General Wavoll's Indian command. Elaborate preparations for the defence of the Indian area include American air force co-operation. The present fluid line in Burma faces any enemy penetration in the Shan States from Northern Thailand and also confronts the Japanese with a line of defence to counteract northward enemy movements from Bangoon, but further Japanese advances into Upper Burma cannot be discounted, nor can the possibility of the Japanese reinforcing their troops by sea through Rangoon be ruled until Allied sea power asserts itself in the Bay of Bengal. Thus the development of new lines of communication between Burma and India are imperatively important and are receiving attention. A Kunming message stales , that American volunteer pilots smashed Japanese planes at the Thailand airport of Chiengmai in a dawn attack. Taking the Japanese off their guard and catching enqmy pilots running towards the grounded planes, tho Americans pumped 3.500 rounds of ammunition both into the planes and pilots. They set fire to seven planes, riddling the remaining with bullets. The destroyed planes included fighters, bombers and transports. One of the most daring pilots, Tvcwkirk, of New York. was kil'H after his plane crashed into th» fie'd. Newkirk w\s decorated with the British D.S.O. a few weeks nan. INDIAN NAVAL FOBCE. A Press Association cablegram says: "India should have her own navy long ago," declared Vice-Admiral Herbert Eitzherbcrt, Flag Officer Commanding the Royal Indian Navy in New Delhi to-day. He said the corvettes, anti-submarine trawlers and patrol-boats were now bung built at Calcutta, Bombay, Karachi and Cochin, and that India would later produce cruisers "We want a cruiser squadron for trade protection," he said. "I have waxited a big shipbuilding industry in India, and now, thank goodness, we have one yard started. India now for the first time is making propelling machinery."

SITUATION IN CEYLON. Though Government officials assert that 9y per cent, of Cingalese are intensely loyal to Britain, informed observers, says the Colombo correspondent of the Daily Express, claim that substantial numbers are lukewarm and also that there is a sprinkling of antiBritish and potential Fifth Columnists. However, there arc complaints that Britain has not encouraged largescale recruitment of Cingalese and there is a growing public demand for increasing number of local combatant units.

A motion requesting Dominion status after the suggesting that Sir Stafford Cripps extend his visit to Ceylon is being submitted to the State Council. A Press Association cable says that Dr N. G. Ranga, former president of the All Tndia Peasants' Conference, has heen released after two years' gaolHe was imprisoned under the Indian defence regulations. Dr Ranga with Mr Gandhi's approval is now forming a Colonial Peoples' Freedom Front to fight Fascism.