Evening star., 1941-12-27
Where Is tie Fleet?'

! gross. suggested the answer TO a
/ question which has been in the minds
of many Americans That question.
despite its variations, may be
summed un in these words: Where
/ is the fleet?
AS word is received of large Japa-
i nose landings on Luzon, with reports
. of eighty enemy transports off Lin
/ oayen. it is only natural to ask:
Where is the fleet? What is our Navy
doing to oppose these landings? AS
the lavman reads Of the heroic de-
fense of Wake Island of a small
/ band of Norines standing off the
enemy for fourteen days. he again
wonders what tho fleet is doing; why
the Wake garrison was not REIN
forced Or, as the report comes
through of japanese submarines at
tacliing American ships almost if
not literally within sight of watchers
on the Pacific Coast, the people of
this country again ask themselves:
What are our own forces doing in
the face of these attacks?
To none of these questions can any
specific answer be given No layman
, can pretend to know the truth. But
Mr.. Churchill has indicated a prob
able explanation
The Prime Minister said that if he
were asked by the people of England
why he did not have an ample sup
ply of modern aircraft and army
equipment of all kinds in Malaga
and the East Indies, he would point
to Libya as an answer On that
North African coast the British seem
to have won an important victory
over strong German and italian
forces. But, as Mr.. Churchill stated,
had the British diverted and dis
perSed our gradually growing re-
sources between Libya and Malaga
we could have been found wanting
in both places In other words,
lacking sufficient equipment to be
strong in all places, difficult decisions
had to be and were taken as to where
the main effort was to be concen-
trated.
The situation in our own case is
no different. Our losses at Pearl
HarbOr in the form of damaged war
vessels have not been disclosed,
although Secretary of the Navy Knox
has said that the main body of the
fleet was uninjured and is at sea
seeking contact with the enemy.
Yet, even if there had been no losses
in that surprise assault. it would not
necessarily follow that the fleet
should be expected to anticipate and
stand off enemy attacks across the
thousands of miles Of water that
make up the Pacific battle-ground.
To say that the fleet is seeking con-
tact with the enemy does not mean
that contact is being sought wher-
ever the enemy happens to be. At
Luzon, for example, it may we'll be
that japanese superiority in the air
initiates against intervention by our
own naval forces The fate of the
Prince of Wales and the Repulse
when those great fighting ships ex-
posed themselves to enemy torpedo
planes while trying to intercept
troop convoy should not be quickly
forgotten. 1t may we'll be that Wake
was not reinforced because. in the
judgment of the fleet commanders,
| its immediate Importance was not
sufficient to Justify the diversion of
naval strength that would have been
required to hold it, And this same
basic consideration may hold good
with respect to the submarines
operating off the West Coast. Their
exploits are hurtful and spectacular,
but it is easy to believe that the Navy
has other and more important uses
for the destroyer force that would be
required to hunt them down.
If there were any Americans who
clung to the belief that this war
would be short and easily won, the
fortnight statements of the British
Prime Minister should have opened
their eyes. BY the end of 1912, in
his opinion, we will be in a better
/ position than we are now; at some
/ time in 1943 we may reasonably hope
to assume the initiative upon an am
pie scale.
That is long look into a trying
future. But it is the only perspective
in which this war may be rightly
viewed. We cannot hope in a week.
/ in month, or in many months, to
overcome the advantage gained by
the enemy through surprise and bet
| ter preparation. We have no choice
but to fight on, enduring defeats and
waiting with patience for victories.
The American people must not per-
| NIT their faith in the fleet to be
| shaken because it does not rush in
where it may be destroyed The
strategy of this war will have to
be worked out, by those who are
equipped by training and experience
for, the task. 1t is utterly beyond
the grasp of laymen.
If the coming months bring new
reverses, and if these are followed
by widespread popular demands for
| action, the people of this country