UTMOST SUPPORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24833, 5 February 1942, Page 5

UTMOST SUPPORT

SINGAPORE DEFENDERS MESSAGE FROM AUSTRALIA IMPORTANCE OF BATTLE (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 3. Reports have reached London of a message from the Australian Minister for the Army, Mr F. M. Forde, to the Allied forces in Singapore, in which he says:—

You are now approaching the

climax of .the battle for Singapore under conditions perhaps having no parallel in history. As you go into

action for this most searching test,

I want this message to reach you and bring with it the never-ending pride and respect of all your countrymen. I want you to accept it as a binding promise of the utmost support. Each day that Singapore is denied to the enems' represents a further gain which cannot be overhauled. We have done everything in our power to ensure the greatest degree of help which can be sent. It will reach you with all possible speed. It will come as a stream, swelling to the flood of big movements which are under way. We shall be unceasing in our efforts to back ycu to the limit. Outpost of Allied Line

The capture of Singapore might well prolong the Pacific war by two years, states the Singapore correspondent of The Times, who deprecates a tendency in Britain and America to minimise the strategic importance of the island, and imply that the garrison's role is merely to delay the enemy as long as possible. Although the strategic importance of Singapore has changed in the last few weeks, its magnitude has not diminished. The Allies retain a measure of naval control in the Malacca Straits, and, therefore, they are able to prevent the enemy sending large ships to the Indian Ocean, except round Australia, the correspondent continues.. Singapore is the outpost of the Allied line, embracing Sumatra, Java, Sumba, Timor and New Guinea, which the Jananese are trying to breach. The capture of Singapore would almost certainly enable them to breach the line at its vital points. It would be a far harder task to recapture Singapore than to defend it against attack, the correspondent states. The question of reinforcements must be viewed in this light. Is it more profitable to send reinforcements to Singapore now or to see the struggle in the Pacific enormously prolonged?

"China Can Ride the Storm"

A Chinese Government spokesman, in a statement at Chungking, expressed satisfaction at the recent reassurances given by Mr Churchill, President Roosevelt, and the United States Secretary for the Navy, Colonel Knox, that the importance of the Pacific front had not been overlooked. He voiced the opinion that even if the United Nations took a year to drive out the Japanese from the strategic bases in the Pacific, China could easily ride the storm.

"We have enough American arms and equipment to tax our transportation to capacity for at least a year," he concluded.

UNITY IN THE PACIFIC ACTION AND PURPOSE URGENCY STRESSED BY DUTCH "" '■■" "" *■: : WASHINGTON, (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) Feb. 3." The Lieutenant-Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies, Dr H. J. van Mook, in a speech to the National Press Club, said that co-ordination of purpose and operation among the United Nations in the Pacific was an urgent need. Progress had been made along this line since the war started, but " we need the kind of co-operation that does away with traditions and customs and concentrates on the war. We need unified command and unified purpose." He spoke in the presence of the Netherlands Foreign Minister, Dr van Kleffens, who also addressed the club, but in ! more general terms. Dr van Mook's comment is considered significant since Dr van Kleffens at the White House last week said that the situation in regard to the Pacific Council was confusing. Today Dr van Mook said that if the Japanese pierced the defence line between the mainland of Asia and Australia they would be able to attack the rear of the Middle East front and also hit Russia. To prevent this goods and troops were needed as fast as possible. The Allies wanted a'ircraft and anti-aircraft guns, submarines, and small surface craft. The action in the Masassar Strait would have been a real defeat to the Japanese instead of only a delaying action if the United Nations had had enough surface boats to mop up after the aircraft had hit the Japanese.

"The United States Government fully understands the seriousness of the situation," Dr van Kleffens said "Britain also fully understands, but with them it is only a question of the means."