HELP FOR AUSTRALIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 65, 19 March 1943, Page 5

HELP FOR AUSTRALIA

MATERIAL FOR PACIFIC WAR EQUIPMENT FROM UNITED STATES (Special Australian Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) Reed. 8 p.m. Sydney, March 18. In spite of urgent calls on American equipment by other theatres, it appears that Lieut.-General Kenney, Allied Air Chief in the South-west Pacific, will not return to Australia empty-handed from his visit to Washington, and that the new allocations to be made to General MacArthur’s forces will be more than a mere token. “It is understood that Lieut.-General Kenney has been received cordially and that there was a completely sympathetic approach to General MacArthur’s problems.

1 ‘ The fact remains, of course, that from the viewpoint of global strategy the main concentration of American interest is still on the African front.”

A Sydney Herald writer makes this appreciation of the discussions now proceeding between Lieut.-General Kenney and Lieut.-General Sutherland, Chief of Staff to General MacArthur, and 'Washington officials.

The correspondent adds that the facts given by Lieut.-Gen. Kenney»are believed to indicate that General MacArthur’s air force is at present below the minimum safety level, attritional losses having brought it down considerably from its original strength. Repairs and replacements are said to constitute an important problem.

On the question of troop reinforce ments. it is believed to have been pointed out. in Washington that tropical diseases made heavy inroads on the Allied forces at the South-west Pacific battle stations.

With Pacific affairs increasingly forcing attention in America, appi operations of the present strategic situation continue conflicting, but highly-regarded commentators consider the Japanese concentrations in the Southern Pacific are primarily for defence.

Major Fielding Eliot, Australian born military analyst for the New York Herald Tribune, believes they are chiefly aimed at preventing General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey getting set for an attack. The loss of Rabaul would be the most serious reverse the Japanese have yet experienced.

“It is possible the Japanese have in mind a diversionary offensive against Darwin,” writes Major Eliot,” but the Japanese High Command must find the Darwin adventure heavily weighted with risk against comparatively small chances of useful achievement. It is also possible that the Japanese are getting ready to attempt the seizure of Merauke, the Allied base in south New Guinea, from which their aircraft might be able to prevent the use of the Torres Strait shipping route tc Darwin. Moreover, it might be possible to use Merauke as a base for launching raiding groups into the Gulf of Carpentaria, tying up United Nations forces which could be better employed elsewhere.” The military commentator of P.M. says.—“ The weight of evidence indicates that the increased Japanese activity is aimed at protection of the captured 'possessions rather than a full-dress attempt to invade Australia.”

The writer points out that the supply problem faced by the Japanese if they ever managed to la_nd in Australia would be almost an insurmountable obstacle. If the Japanese do intend to go on the offensive again, he assesses, they are more likely to try an island by island march down the Solomons, menacing the New Hebrides and New Caledonia.

Nevertheless American reports indicate that the enormously-developed Australian war industry is recognised as a highly important Allied asset which must be protected beyond the remote possibility of its loss to or damage by the Japanese.

Australia is awaiting with anticipatory interest the outcome of Lieut.General Kenney’s visit to Washington, and at present, a year after the arrival here of General MacArthur and the fir/L American forces, military writers are paying grateful tribute for the assistance already given in the Southern Pacific by the United States.

“It is well to remember that but for the United States it would be impossible for Australia to retain any effective hold on the Pacific Island step-ping-stones so vital to her safety,” says the Sydney Herald correspondent. “Only American promptness in speedily sending forces to New Caledonia, the New Hebrides and the Fiji Islands checkmated the swift Japanese sweep southward to New Zealand. The time is long past when we could afford to indulge in the luxury of debating whether the Americans came to the South-west Pacific to save Australia or to preserve the American continent from invasion. Both countries have the same responsibility—to deteat Japan. “For the men who fight the one thing that counts is to finish off the Japanese at the earliest possible moment, and to accomplish that end the bigger and quicker the aid the bettei.

ATTACK ON AUSTRALIA

“DON’T KNOW,” SAYS KENNEY

Recd. 10 p.m. Washington, March 17 “I do not know—and I do not think the Japanese know either,” answered Lieut.-Gen. Kenney, replying to a reporter’s question if he thought a Japanese attack on Australia was imminent.

Meeting reporters after conferring with President Roosevelt. Lieut.-Gen. Kenney told the Press that Australia was doing a superb job. He particularly praised the Australian and Dutch airmen working wtih the Fifth American Air Force. “The Air Force morale and spirit are so high that it sometimes scares us,” he said. “Thev are all eagerness to move ahead. The quality of the Japanese pilots has unquestionably deteriorated to a degree. Their highlyskilled first string team has entirely gone, while our first team is just get-1 tin ginto line.” Lieut.Gon. Kenney said the quality of the Allied planes opposing the Japanese, now and always has been , better than the enemy’s, with the margin of .superiority remaining fairly I stable. i