PACIFIC TOUR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 12 May 1945, Page 4

PACIFIC TOUR

THE WAR AND TRADE AMERICAN JOURNALISTS Auckland, May 11 In the course of a 30,000-mile tour of the Pacific with the joint object of studying the war with Japan at first hand and of gathering background information about the post-war trade and tourist prospects of the area, a party of 14 United States journalists pasaed through Auckland on their return flight to America They arrived at Whenuapai late yesterday afternoon from Wellington, and will leave early this morningfi on the return journey. Leaving Washington on April l.the party has travelled throughout their journey by air, the last stage being made in a huge Skymaster C 54 transport machine. The journalists have been as far forward as possible, and have visited the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. TREMENDOUS CHANGES NOTED Some of the party are paying a return visit to the South and South-west Pacific areas, and all remarked on the tremendous changes which had taken place in the last two or three years. The vast increase in the amount of war equipment, particularly in the Navy and air arm, was in marked contrast with the trickle of supplies which was coming forward in the early dgys of New Guinea and Guadalcanal Members of the party have had the opportunity of meeting the commanders of the Amexican fighting forces, and were also granted an informal interview with Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, Commander-in-Chief of the British Pacific Fleet. From comments by these leaders, the journalists expressed the view that another 12 months would see the end of the war with Japan. Victory might come even sooner, as the Allies were already far ahead of their schedule. There was still some heavy fighting ahead and the by-passed Japanese would be difficult to deal with. POPULARITY OF DOMINION The news of the German collapse had been , received quietly by the American troops for while men were still fighting it was difficult to hold any victory celebrations. American troops had expressed their disappointment that New Zealand and Australia were no longer areas in which they could take their leave. From all sides the journalists had heard glowing tributes to the people of NeW Zealand for their generosity and hospitality. Everyone, particularly tha marines, appeared to like the country. One journalist stated that while he did not think many Americans would want to settle in Australia it was highly likely that New Zealand would be much more popular. BRIEF STAY IN AUSTRALIA Probably the principal impression of the journalists who were paying their first visit to the Pacific was the vgst distances involved. Air travel, however, made light of this difficulty. During a short stay in Australia, where they were in Brisbane for one night and Sydney for four days, the journalist* formed differing opinions, some of them not highly complimentary to the Commonwealth. Sydney itself seemed to have captured their fancy, and one described it. as the “Paris of the Pacific.” They* were in Sydney at the time of the victory celebrations, and did not have an opportunity of gaining a true picture of the Commonwealth war effort or of its people. FUTURE OF BASES IN PACIFIC The suoject of the future of bases in the Pacific raised some animated replies from the American journalist!, but they were fairly unanimous that the United States should obtain as many as possible, and. in particular, all those north of the equator. “After the lesson we have learned in this war. we ■would be fools to let anyone else have them.” w-as one remark. “We shed a lot of blood on Tarawa and other places, and many of the younger troops are demanding that we should acquire these bases,” said another. "The older hands, how'ever. realise that it is a ticklish point, in w-hich politics w ill play a big part.” After their long tour by air. the Americans naturally were interested in the future of many of the air strips w’hich have sprung up on strategic islands and atolls as a result of the war. All the visitors indicated that the United States would not take a back seat to any nation in commercial aviation after the war. They considered that an expansion in civil aviation w’ould result in a tremendous boom in New' Zealand tourist trade and they hoped that the Dominion would be ready for it when the rush came.