ALLIED WAR EFFORT

Southland Times, Issue 24649, 22 January 1942, Page 5

ALLIED WAR EFFORT

OPERATIONS IN FAR EAST “GOOD NEWS" FROM PRESIDENT (Rec. 5.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, January 20. The Lieutenant-Governor of the East Indies, Dr van Mook, after conferring with Mr Roosevelt, said the President gave him a lot of good news regarding the effort to strengthen the Far East. Dr van Mook predicted that the Dutch would hold out in the East Indies. “Real efforts are being made to get the necessary implements of war out there,” he said. “The main task is to keep the Japanese from penetrating south of the Equator. This can be done mainly by air power. What we need most is bombers and fighters. We need also submarines to make it difficult for the Japanese to bring their transports across the seas. Darwin, Java and Sumatra can be defended if we have sufficient aircraft.” The Secretary for the Colonies (Lord Moyne) was asked in the House of Lords about the statement in Chinese newspapers that an offer by General Chiang Kai-shek of Chinese troops for the defence of Malaya was not accepted. He was also asked what steps had been, or were being, taken to recruit Chinese, Indian and Malay residents, who were British subjects in Malaya for military duties other than civil defence.

Lord Moyne replied: “Discussions did, in fact, take place with China before the outbreak of the war in the Far East, but it would not be in the public interest to disclose the details. The Malayan Regiment and the Johore military forces have for some years afforded Malaya an opportunity for enlistment in regular units, and, in addition, Chinese, Indians and Malayans are serving in units of the Malayan local forces.” DEFENCE OF HONG KONG

Mr Churchill was asked about the defence of Hong Kong. He said, “under Article 19 of the Washington Treaty for the limitation of naval armaments signed in 1932, the British Empire, the United States and Japan agreed to maintain the status quo in regard to fortifications and naval bases in their territories and possessions in the Pacific. The Japanese denounced the treaty in December 29, 1934, and by virtue of that denunciation the treaty lapsed on December 31, 1936. Until the latter date, therefore, the British Government was precluded from erecting additional fortifications at Hong Kong. It is the policy of the British Government that British territory should be defended to the utmost of our ability with such resources as are at our disposal.”

MR CHURCHILL’S CONFIDENCE In the House of Commons Mr Churchill was asked by Mr F. W. Pethick-Lawrence, Labour member for East Edinburgh, whether he appreciated the great anxiety felt in all parts of the House in regard to the situation in the Far East and the importance of having a discussion before that situation further deteriorated.

Mr Churchill, who was greeted with cheers from all parts. of the . Commons, said: “I naturally share 1 the anxiety felt at the war in the Far East but I also share the growing confidence which, I think, might also be justified in the eventual outcome of this struggle.”

He added that it was proposed to have a three-day debate on the war situation in the near future. Should this debate disclose any circumstances which seemed to involve a challenge to the Government it would be arranged on the second or third sitting day to set down a vote of confidence so that any relevant amendment in any form could be moved. Members might be able to state any difference they had with the Government in the most effective form and the House would be able to express its opinion. He proposed himself to open the debate and, if necessary, to wind it up. Mr Churchill also announced that facilities would shortly be given for a debate on the defence of airfields, upon which there had lately been considerable discussion out of doors. On the whole, the Government considered that this debate should be in public, though this would necessarily impose a restraint on the discussion. The debate would be opened by the Secretary for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair). “WILL KEEP FAITH” Official Chinese circles in London know nothing concerning the statements attributed to Dr Sun Fo, chairman of the legislative branch of the Chinese Government, about a separate Chinese peace. It was pointed out that China has just signed the join Allied pledge not to make a separate peace, and that certainly she will not be false to her signature. A message from Chungking states that the mobilization of the native populations of the Far East to oppose the Japanese was urged by a Chinese Government spokesman. “There is great anxiety regarding the developments in Malaya, where the Japanese have occupied 30 airfields, leaving the British only four,” he said. “The strategic importance of Singapore and the Netherlands Indies is generally recognized and we are sure the Allies will not spare any effort to hold them.”

INDISPENSABLE PRODUCTS Sir Earle Page, Australian special envoy to Britain, discussed at a meeting of the Royal Empire Society in London, the best way of mobilizing the immense resources of the Empire to meet the danger in the Far East. Emphasizing the importance <sf the Indian and Pacific possessions of the Empire he said that these areas comprise threequarters of the territory, maintain six-sevenths of the population of the Empire and produce resources which are indispensable to its trade development and prosperity. These resources were also indispensable to carrying on modern war and especially to America and Britain in maintaining war production.

Seventy per cent, of the world’s output of tin was produced in this area and 88 per cent, of the rubber while 70 per cent, of the world’s wool was produced in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Empire strategy in this war, he continued, had never been determined by what we ought to do or by what was best to be done but by the paucity of men and equipment available and ready.