BAD PATCH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 February 1942, Page 3

BAD PATCH

NOW BEING TRAVERSED BY ALLIES LORD HALIFAX SEES HOPE IN LONG VIEW. DECISIVE FACTOR OF NAVAL STRENGTH. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 12. “The Allies are going through a bad patch, with Singapore’s downfall threatening,” said the British Ambassador, Lord Halifax, in an interview, “but if the long view is taken, the conflict appears differently. “The Japanese are now placing an immense quantity of goods in their shop-window, but we must not forget that, though the present war scene is far remote from America, it is also far remote from Japan. “Therefore Japan’s present advantage is solely due to her naval superiority in the Pacific, but this will end as soon as we build up ours, and we are doing it. What happened at Macassar foreshadows what the Allies will be able to do when their air and naval strength is built up, and that is coming as surely as day follows night. “The Allies do not need men, but they need mechanised implements. We have forces in England and India awaiting equipment, because this is a ‘battle of shops.’” AMERICAN OUTBURST DEMAND FOR INTENSIFIED EFFORT. DEMANDS BY MR WILLKIE. WASHINGTON, February 12. Mr Hatton Sumners, chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, made an impassioned outburst in the House today. “We’re being licked,” he said. Mr Sumners cried out to Congress to rouse the nation to its danger, and shouted: “My God, are we going to let the hope of the ages perish from this earth because of our unworthiness and because, like France, we insist upon business as usual? “America does not yet realise that she is in the greatest war of all time and facing the greatest military machine in history.” Mr Willkie asserted that there was a lack of mutual confidence and central direction among the American fighting forces. He demanded that General MacArthur be brought from the Philippines and placed in the supreme command under the President. The people would then, he said, have reason to hope that skill, and not bungling and confusion, would direct their efforts. ENEMY SHIPS AIR ATTACKS ON SHIPS. LONDON, February 12. Japanese planes, the Domei Agency states, yesterday bombed 25 warships and merchantmen preparing to leave Singapore with the defenders on board. Bangkok radio stated that the Japanese had heavily bombed British ships preparing to evacuate troops from Singapore. A Japanese report last night still referred to fierce fighting at the racecourse, which is five miles north-west of the city’s centre. AUSTRALIAN RAIDS ON ENEMY IN NEW BRITAIN. CANBERRA, February 12. It is announced that two Australian aircraft failed to return from the raid yesterday on the Gasmata base in New Britain. One, and probably a second, Japanese machine was destroyed. The Australians operated from New Guinea bases. They set fire to a Japanese transport, and the deck of another ship, which was loaded with cargo, was also hit. The Japanese raid over Samarai caused damage to a civil building which was set on fire. Bombs also fell on the mission buildings at Kwato Island, two miles from Samarai. NO CHANGE ON THE BURMA FRONT. POSITION REPORTED WELL IN HAND. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.52 a.m.) RUGBY, February 13. It is authoritatively stated in Britain that there is no change in the position on the Burma front. The Japanese presumably are still holding Martaban, but it is considered that the position is well in hand. ALL GENERALS JAPANESE CASUALTIES. STARS MISLEAD FILIPINOS. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, February 13. The Associated Press of America’s correspondent, Mr Clark Lee, with a touch of grim humour, tells, in a de-'

layed despatch today, that, because of the difficulty of distinguishing Japanese military insignia, the Filipino troops claim that they have already killed several hundred Japanese generals. Japanese privates of the first class wear two stars and corporals three, but to the Filipinos two stars mean a major-general and three stars a lieutenant-general. Consequently Filipino detachments frequently report, in all seriousness, the annihilation of large enemy units consisting solely of generals.