PACIFIC STRATEGY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 August 1942, Page 4

PACIFIC STRATEGY

REPLY TO AUSTRALIAN DEMANDS

MADE BY NEW YORK NEWSPAPER.

MORE IMPORTANT NEEDS SEEN.

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 4.

The “World-Telegram,” in an editorial, says: “Japan's successful invasion of Papua is bad enough strategically, but it will be worse if Washington again succumbs to the temptation to scatter its fire. Those who try to be strong everywhere end by being weak everywhere.

“There is a limit to the reinforcement of the South-West Pacific at the sacrifice of more vital lines and more active fronts,” the newspaper adds. “Why the Japanese are able to occupy Ambasi and Buna as an advance base only 100 miles from the Allied base of Port Moresby is not clear from the communiques. 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 in the north Pacific and Asia. The' Australian Government cannot be criticised for wanting more planes and more of everything, but President Roosevelt and Mr Churchill must take the wider view. Months ago they sacrificed Burma and the China front, left the Western Aleutians undefended, restricted Russian supplies 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 jeopardising 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 Ha-waiian-Midway-Aleutian line and to China, to hold our major defensive and offensive bases against Japan and to keep our pledge to Russia, not to mention Egypt—Australia no longer can count on priority.”