FEWER ARMS NOW FOR S.W. PACIFIC?

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 264, 6 August 1942, Page 5

FEWER ARMS NOW FOR S.W. PACIFIC?

Paper’s Strategic Views DESIRE FOR ALLIES TO ’ CONCENTRATE (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.! (Received August 5, 7 pun.) NEW YORK, August 4. The New York “World-Telegram,” in an editorial, states: “Japan’s success-ful-invasion of Papua is bad enough strategically, but it will bo worse if Washington again- succumbs to the temptation to scatter its Are. Those who try to be strong everywhere end in being weak everywhere. There is a limit to the reinforcement of the south-west Pacific at the sacrifice of more vita! lines and more active fronts. “Why the Japanese were able to. occupy Ambasi and Buna as an advance base only 100 miles from the Allied base at Port Moresby is not clear from the communiques, and why Buna was not occupied by the Allied forces when it was theirs is even less clear. “But it is clear that the Japanese, supposedly shattered by the Coral Sea battle and the constant bombings of Lae and Salamaua, still have the offensive in the far south as well as thp north Pacific and Asia. . . . “The Australian. Government cannot be criticized for wanting more planes and more of everything, but President Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill must take the wider view. Months ago they sacrificed the Burma and China- front, left the western Aleutians undefended, restricted supplies to Russia and postponed direct blows at Hitler in order to garrison and arm Australia. They cannot now give Australia a larger, share of planes and shipping without jeopardizing global strategy and preventing concentration tactics. “If two-thirds of our bombers are going to England to strike at Hitler, if enough are going to the Hawaiian-Midway-Aleutian line and to China to hold our major defensive-offensive bases against Japan, and if we keep our pledge to Russia, not to mention Egypt—Australia no longer can counton priority.” PAPUAN PATROLS Japanese Freighter Abandoned SYDNEY, August 5. A Japanese cargo ship of about 6000 tons, which was hit by Allied bombers on Monday, is now abandoned and aground on a reef near Salamaua. This has been revealed by air reconnaissance following a communique yesterday reporting that the vessel was last seen on fire. The latest general headquarters communique states: “There is nothing to report outside normal reconnaissance and security activities in any sector.” Though no mention is made of the Kokoda battle, it is believed that the Australian and Japanese advanced forces are still in contact