SINGLE PURPOSE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1942, Page 3

SINGLE PURPOSE

AND UNIFIED COMMAND NEEDED IN THE PACIFIC. DECLARATION BY DR. VAN MOOK. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 3. The Lieutenant-Governor-Gen-eral of the Netherlands East Indies, Dr. Van Mook, in a speech to the National Press Club, said that the need was uraent for co-ordina-tion of purpose and! operation among the united nations in the Pacific. “Progress has been made along this line since the war started, but we need the kind of co-op-I eration that does away with traditions and customs and concentrates on the war,” he declared. “We need one unified command and one unified purpose.” Dr. Van Mook spoke in the presence of the Netherlands Foreign Minister, Dr. Van Kleft’ens, who also addressed the club, but in more general terms. Dr. Van Mook’s comment is considered significant, since Dr. Van Kieffens at White House last week said that the Pacific Council situation was confusing. . ~ Today Dr. Van Mook said that it the Japanese pierced the defence line between the mainland of Asia and Australia they would be able to attack the rear of the Middle East front and also hit at Russia. To prevent this goods and troops were needed as fast as possible. The Allies wanted aircraft and anti-aircraft guns, submarines, and small surface craft. The action in the Macassar Strait would have been a real defeat to the Japanese instead of a delay if the united nations had had enough surface vessels to mop up aftei’ the aircraft had hit the Japanese. “The United States Government fully understands the seriousness of the situation,” Dr. Van Kieffens said, “Britain also fully understands, but with them it is only a question of means.” VITAL AS EVER NEED OF HOLDING MALAYA BASE. LOSS WOULD LENGTHEN WAR. LONDON, February 3. Capture of Singapore might well prolong the Pacific war for two years, says the Singapore cor- . respondent of “The Times,” who deprecates a tendency in Britain and America to minimise the strategic importance of the island and to imply that the garrison’s role is merely to delay the enemy for as long as possible. “Though the strategic importance of Singapore has changed in the last few weeks, its magnitude is not diminished,” he states. “The Allies retain, a measure of naval control in Malacca Straits, and therefore they are able to prevent the enemy from sending large ships to the Indian Ocean except round Australia.

“Singapore is the outpost of the AL lied line, embracing Sumatra, Java, Sumba, Timor and New Guinea, which the Japanese are trying to breach. The capture of Singapore would almost certainly enable them to breach it at a vital point. \ “It would be a far harder task to recapture Singapore than to defend it against attack, and the question of reinforcements must be viewed in this light; is it more profitable to send reinforcements to Singapore now or see the struggle in the Pacific enormously prolonged?” BEATEN BACK JAPANESE ON SALWEEN RIVER. FAILURE TO ESTABLISH BRIDGEHEAD. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, February 4. Japanese attempts to cross the Salween River in Burma have been repulsed. At one point enemy troop barges were wiped out by General Hutton’s forces, and the Japanese have completely failed to establish a bridgehead. Thirty miles upstream from Moulmein our troops are still operating on the eastern bank.