NEW STORM CENTRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 February 1942, Page 3

NEW STORM CENTRE

INDIES NOW MAIN BARRIER IMPORTANCE OF HOLDING ISLANDS. EMPHASISED BY DUTCH MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, February 15. The Netherlands Foreign Minister, Dr. E. van Kieffens, writing in the “New York Times,” says that the Netherlands East Indies has become the main centre of the danger zone. He explains that if the Japanese succeed in firmly entrenching themselves in the Netherlands East Indies, the Nazis and Japanese would certainly encircle and dominate militarily and economically the whole of Asia and also the south-western Pacific. It is not a time now, he states, to argue about how Malaya or Singapore could have been held. It is more important to hold the next defence line, particularly Java. “Also,” says Dr. van Kieffens, “certain reproaches that this or that ally has failed in an appointed task are harmful and dangerous. They undermine unity. Also they are mostly based on far reaching ignorance of immensely complex problems. “Though the Allied situation today is clearly grave we should not count only our misfortunes but also our blessings, particularly the overwhelming numerical, material, and spiritual superiority of Britain, America, Russia, and China, which will no doubt guarantee final victory.” NEW BRITAIN BASE ANOTHER EFFECTIVE RAID BY AUSTRALIANS. CANBERRA, February 16. A Royal Australian Air Force communique states: “R.A.A.F. bombers raided' grounded enemy aircraft . and shipping at Gasmata, New Britain. They were intercepted by enemy fighters, but our bombing attack was pressed home, and a large fire was started. Enemy anti-aircraft gunfire was also encountered. All our aircraft returned safely after the completion of the successful attack.”