AMERICAN EYES ON MANUS ISLAND

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1946, Page 5

AMERICAN EYES ON MANUS ISLAND

WANTED AS DEFENCE BASTION Receivecl Monday, 10.5 p.m. NEW YORK, April 8. United States naval ofiicers want to make Manus Island, in the Admiralty islands, wlixcli coine witliin the Austraiian mandate, a "Guam of the south," to act as the niain bastion of the American defence lines in that area. Strong recommendations are being made by the United States Navy Departinent for some arrangement with Australia to retain control of the Admiralty Islands, from which the invasion of the Philippines was lannched. The American mission which left for the Paciiic will report to Washington on which islands should become permanent bases and which should be abandoned. The Americans claim tbat the advantage to Australia to have tbe Admiralty Islands developed by a friendly Power has already been proved by the role Manus played in the offensive against Japan. The Commonwealth is not likely to give America the exclusive use of Manus Island in any circumstances, states a Canberra message. In a recent speech Dr. Evatt made it clear that Australia would enter into no commitments which would lessen the control of the Australian people over their own tefrritories. If Manus or other bases under Australian control are shared with the United States, Australia will insist on the reciprocal use of American bases in the same region. So far the discussions between the United States and the Commonwealth have not gone beyond the departmental stage. The fortlicoming Imperial Conierence will have an important bcaring 011 the position.