MAJOR EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 September 1942, Page 3

MAJOR EFFORT

LIKKELY TO BE MADE BY JAPANESE IN SOLOMONS & NEW GUINEA. ALLIED PREPARATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, September 12. Army and Navy sources expect a major Japanese offensive in the Solomons and New Guinea soon because Japan’s strategy requires a determined effort to cut Australia’s and New Zealand's life-lines to America, says the New York “Post’s” Washington correspondent. He adds: “This explains why President Roosevelt, who anticipates that a big push is still to come, played down the American Solomons success. Militarists say the attacking Japanese will find the opposition very different from that of Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies, because General MacArthur now possesses local air superiority, while the enemy’s over-stretch-ed communications are a problem to them almost as much as to us.” The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the Under-Secretary for the Navy, Mr Forrestal, who returned from a 20,000mile tour of the Pacific battle zones, predicted that the Japanese will have an exceptionally difficult time if they try to recapture Guadalcanal' and the other Solomons conquests. He emphasised the high degree of co-opera-tion achieved in the Pacific operations by the Army, Navy and marines. “Superiod American equipment is taking toll of the Japanese,” he said. “Our navy fighting craft are outmatching the Japanese. “There is increasing confidence among pilots of Navy fighting planes because so many return from missions. Tiie impression' out there is that the quality of Japanese flying personnel is deteriorating and the Japanese are much below their earlier level both in skill and determination.” HALF-HOUR TALK AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVES & ROOSEVELT. WASHINGTON, September HL The Associated Press says that Sir Owen Dixon, Australian representative on the Pacific War Council, unexpectedly paid an unusual visit to President Roosevelt’s private residence at the White House, and conferred with him for half an hour. He refused to comment, but informed quarters hint that they discussed the New Guinea situation.