Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1943. AN IMPRESSIVE WARNING.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1943, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1943. AN IMPRESSIVE WARNING.

NOTHING could be better calculated to upset easy optimism and complacency regarding the position and outlook in the South-Western Pacific than the statement made by a spokesman at General MacArthur’s headquarters on Tuesday last that: “Japanese air power, in this area at least, is certainly not on the wane; quite the contrary,” and further that: — The Japanese air forces are increasing in strength here, notwithstanding past losses and defeats. The enemy’s planes are good and so are his flyers. Any disparaging discount of his air potential is not only incorrect but dangerous. This warning carries the- more weight in view of the remarkable achievements of the Allied forces operating north of Australia —not only the Bismarck Sea victory, but the conquest and c,'Searance of Guadalcanal, the expulsion of the enemy from eastern New Guinea and the destruction of much enemy shipping and of a great deal of accommodation and equipment in his shore bases. At a long view, the outlook for the Japanese no doubt is hopeless. As the London “Times” has said, they are now committed to a long war against enemies whom they cannot hope to outlast. It counts heavily, too, that although in the first five months after their entry into the war the Japanese advanced to island bases directly menacing Australia, they have since, in twice that period, not only been held in check, but have been driven out of some positions they sought to retain regardless of cost. On the other hand, attack on Japan by some of the avenues which the Allies hope eventually to turn to advantageous account plainly is in abeyance for the time being. As far as can be seen there is little immediate prospect of action on a great scale in and beyond Burma and China. The outlook in the South-Western Pacific would be altered materially if there were any likelihood of the way being opened to air attacks' on the mainland of Japan, from Siberian bases, during the coming northern summer.- All the indications are, however, that uhtil she has cleared her western territory of the Axis invaders, Russia will take no part in the Pacific war unless she is attacked by Japan. As to that, visible evidence supports the view stated recently by Mr Glenn Babb, in an article in the “Christian Science Monitor.” The plan of campaign adopted by Japan, he said, was that of the “South Seas” expansionists in which naval leaders —as distinguished from the Black Dragon-Kwantung Army cliqueare predominant. The Navy-fostered expansion programme (Mr Babb added) is running into serious difficulties now in the Solomons, New Guinea and elsewhere in the “South Seas.” The time may come, therefore, when the continentalists—the Kwantung Army clique—will demand a reversion to its generation-old schemes for seizure of Eastern Siberia. But the current trend of the war, especially in Russia, does not encourage the belief that such a change is imminent. In these circumstances it may be supremely important that the Allies, as the Australian Prime- Minister (Mr Curtin) 1 has contended on behalf of his Government, should mass “increased air strength in the South-West Pacific area which would permit swift and massive blows at the enemy.” This may be essential, not only to safeguard Australia, and perhaps New Zealand as well, but in order to ensure that a continued and progressively exhausting strain may be imposed on Japan until the Allies mature their plans for direct attack upon her home territory.