"IT'S A STRANGE WAR"

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 249, 22 October 1942, Page 2

"IT'S A STRANGE WAR"

PO S SIBILITIE S IN THE SOLOMONS.

P.A. Cable.

NEW YORK, Oct. 20.

"It is strange that a war m which armies are counted by millions and nearly 2000 million people are involved that a decisive engagement should be fought in a scantily-populated, half-unexplored area without economic importance," comments the New York Times editorially. "Yet this is a true description of the battle of the Solomons. The land forces on either side are small beside those fighting within the city of Stalingrad, and the air forces are small beside those that participated in the Dieppe raid. It is impossible to estimate the naval forces, but we are en - titled to suppose that what occurs in the next few days on and over the sea at this intersection of power in the Far East will have a profound effect on the strategy of the war in the Paciflc. The time had to come in this area when the Japanese, mustering all their striking power, would move against the Arnerieans, employing all their defensive and offensive forces. "The Arnerieans have no doubts of the ultimate issue in the Paciflc. As for the immediate result at Guadalcanar we can hope and pray— that is all we can do, aside from working harder and making sacriflces to help the cause along." "At any moment the battle of Guadalcanar can precipitate a major fleet action which may put Australia in peril or burst the bubhle of Japanese conquests," says the Christian Science Monitor. It adds: "A major naval battle in the Solomons can be expected soon because, unless Japan can win naval dominance, she faces a continuous whittling down of sea and air power by American flyers, including Fortresses from Australia. Tokio may conclude that a decisive battle had better be fought in the Solomons rather than in Japanese

waters. Japanese counter-attacks have removed any prospect of exploiting the American seizure of Guadalcanar in a major United Nations offensive. Indeed, the Arnerieans must cling to the vital airfleld or face the prospects of a new Japanese drive on Australia."