AMERICAN FOOL

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22554, 12 April 1943, Page 5

AMERICAN FOOL

Reserve Of Planes

Pacific Area Claims Urged By Telegraph—N.Z Press Assn. —Copyright SYDNEY. April 10. It is estimated that the United States has a reserve of 10.000 combat aircraft from which the needs of the South-west Pacific theatre could be supplied, according to reports emanating from General MacArthur’s headquarters. This number is believed to be over and above lend-lease commitments and assignments to the various fronts. News analysts imply that this reserve represents a pool from which aircraft could be shipped to Australia without in any way interfering with present operations in other theatres. Speaking at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Australia’s Minister of External Affairs (Dr. H. V. Evatc) is reported to have said that “all necessary equipment from the total pool of the United States must be available to halt Japan while the Allies are engaged in beating Hitler first.” Japan’s New Wealth Dr. Evatt declared that Japan had acquired the most compact and perhaps the wealthiest economic empire the world has ever seen. By acquiring and holding this new empire Japan was blockading the United Nations, and the longer this blockade lasted the greater would be the difficulty of breaking it. He added: “Australia contends that while the United -Nations have accepted the general principle of ‘Beat Hitler First,’ there is, within the framework of that policy, not only room, but also a positive duty to do everything possible to prosecute the war against Japan.” Dr. Evatt described General MacArthur as the greatest exploiter of air power in this war. “He is a man of sufficient imagination and courage to scrap every rule of war which would not work out in the situation presented by the new types >f warfare,” said the Minister. “The South-west Pacific, under General MacArthur, is a theatre where every aircraft now delivered can be used against Japan in actual combat.” “Feeling of Urgency”

“Australia points to the danger, not only becasue we are menaced, but because we are close enough to the Pacific theatre to understand the facts,” comments the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” editorially to-day. It adds that a new feeling of urgency invests this theatre of war against Japan.

With some American news commentators, including Arthur Krock, of the “New York Times,” suggesting that General MacArthur has been isolated and kept on a bread-line quota of supplies and reinforcements with the partial purpose of sapping his strength as a possible claimant for the United States Presidency in 1944, war commentators in the South-west Pacfic sought General MacArthur’s comment on the new American regulation prohibiting Army officers from seeking or accepting election to political office. His only reply was "Let’s get on with the war.”

The Tokio radio has claimed that large Japanese air and naval formations attacked an Allied fleet oft Florida Island, in the Solomons, on Wednesday, sinking one cruiser or destroyer and 10 transports, and damaging three transports. The enemy claim adds that 37 American aircraft were shot down, while the Japanese lost six aeroplanes, which crash-dived into their objectives. These figures of aeroplane losses are almost an exact reversal of the American claims. As announced from Washington, four American vessels were sunk in the attack on April 7. Worst Lies Ahead “The worst of this war lies ahead,” said the U.S. Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Frank Knox) addressing a war bond rally at Indianapolis. He added that he would not predict an early victory, but he was confident of a sure victory for which the Navy in 1944 would add to its growing armada more and more vessels to ensure the obliteration of Japanese sea power and sweep the Italian and German submarines and surface raiders from the seas.

Colonel Knox said that the Navy had bent every energy to producing aircraft-carriers and destroyer escorts. Each week would see new and powerful warships added to the fleet; each day would mark the addition of scores of deadly naval aeroplanes, and each hour would add guns and shells to the Allied arsenals by nundreds of thousands.

“Fighter aeroplanes will be increased fivefold; bombers quadrupled, and aircraft-carriers, both large and auxiliary, will be many times greater than the total carrier strength at the end of last year,” said Colonel Knox. The growth of the fleet’s striking power was qualitative as well as quantitative. The modem battleship, for example, has a hundred times the anti-aircraft fire power of the 1940 battleship.

Other facts about 1943 construction included 100 per cent increase in auxiliary vessels and the construction of 1000 landing-craft represented another major achievement. Will Get Planes “It simply isn’t so,” declared Mr Elmer Davis, Director War Information, referring to a statement emanating from an “authoritative source” at General MacArthur’s headquarters that there were 10,000 idle combat planes in the United States. “The exact number is a military secret, but they are not lying idle,” added Mr Davis. It is natural that General MacArthur and Mr Curtin want more planes. They are going to get more planes. Mr Stimson has promised that. But the other fronts need planes. If a lot had not been sent to Africa our recent victories there might well have been defeats.” Commenting on the Pacific situation, the Washington “Evening Star” says editorially that General MacArthur’s statement on the anniversary of the fall of Bataan was tinged with bitter frustration, while Dr H. V. Evatt’s speech at San Francisco was frankly critical, implying that Australia was not even receiving the minimum supplies necessary to prevent Japan making further advances and consolidating her enormous territorial gains. "Dr Evatt’s speech typifies the view held by American military and naval men in the Pacific, and by virtually all Australians as well as by China,” adds the paper. “Such sentiments must not be disregarded. They indicate a sense of grievance and latent resentment at unjustifiable neglect which might have grave consequences if the Japanese High Command unleashes a fresh large-scale offensive.” Japan Will Strike Again The Washington correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor,” Mr Joseph Harsch, contends that Japan will soon try to take the Pacific initiative for I wo purposes: (1) To prevent an Allied advance from the Solomons and New Guinea io Bataan and the Philippines; <2» to cripple preparations for a big Allied move which is expected when our hands are free in Europe. To thwart Japan the Allies must retake Bataan. Mr Harsch adds. With the Allies in possession of Bataan. |

everp Japanese pillbox, airfield anu dock in the South Pacific would have been built in vain. The “Christian Science Monitor” adds editorially that the public are being misled by rumours that the Allies are gathering strength for a big move in the Pacific. “American operations in the Southern Pacific show no signs of a genuine strategic offensive,” declares the paper. “Indeed, they are still holding whittling operations designed to keep some portions of Japanese power busy to protect her supply lines.” Deliverance of Bataan New York newspapers featured General MacArthur’s prayer for the early deliverance of Bataan. The “New York Sun” referring to his “somewhat bitter statement,” says that when General MacArthur left the Philippines he believed it was intended that he should organise an expedition with the object of recapturing what had been lost. “If he hadn’t believed this, the chances are that General MacArthur would have pleaded with the President to allow him to remain with his troops.”

The paper adds: "Washington has always believed that Germany must be defeated first. Naturally General MacArthur is disappointed. Naturally he intends to make good his pledge to return to Bataan. Meanwhile his forces are contributing perhaps more than any others to the maintenance of that pressure against Japan which will ultimately bring down the Japanese Empire in ruins.”