Evening star., 1941-12-19
Activity Of U. 5. Subs
Seen Move 10 Block
Japs' Supplies
Nipponese Transport and
Probably Destroyer
Sunk, Navy Reports

An effective beginning for United
States Navy drive to snap Japan's
supply lines to her distant expe-
dictionary forces was seen today in
the news that American submarines
have sunk Japanese transport and
probably destroyer as we'll in the
Far Eastern war zone.
The submarine victories were an
nounced last night by the Navy
Department., which did not indi-
cate whether they were the same
as those made known in less detail
Wednesday in Manila by Admiral
Thomas G. Hart, commander in
chief of the Far Eastern Fleet.
Admiral Hart had said that two
OF three attacks reported by Ameri-
can submarines had been success
full. The communique here last
night said Submarine actions
against enemy forces in the Far
East have resulted in the sinking
OF an enemy transport and the
probable loss of one enemy de-
stroyer"
Following its usual course. the
Navy made no mention of specific
localities of the submarine action,
or the Identities of the ships in
volved, merely placing the operations
in the Far East" as distinguished
from the Central and Eastern Pa
ciflc, where they were no new de-
velopments to report
Seen Part of Blockade.
The submarine operations were
widely believed to be part OF an
effort to establish a blockade about
Japan, intended to cut off her sup
plies of raw materials and food, as
we'll as to disrupt her lines of supply
for her forces fighting on the Malay
Peninsula and attempting to estab-
lish footholds in the Philippines.
A War Department communique
late yesterday reported that Japa-
,nese operations in the Philippines
were virtually at a standstill. with
only "unlmportant patrol actions
involved in ground operations and
enemy air activity confined to mild
raids over Luzon. Later news dis
patches from Manila, however, told
OF an apparently more serious air
raid on the Island of Panay.
Here in Washington President
Roosevelt conferred with his war
council. Among his conferees was
Rear Admiral Chester w. Nimitz,
the newly appointed commander in
chief of the Pacific Fleet. Others
included Admiral Harold R. Stark,
chief of naval operations: Admiral
Ernest j. King, commandant of the
Atlantic Feet; Maj. Gen. Henry H.
Arnold, chief of the Army Air Corps;
Secretary of War Stimson and Sec
retary OF the Navy Knox.
Board Continues Study.
A presidentially appointed board
continued to examine circumstances
surrounding the surprise japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor December 7.
Appointment of Admiral Nimitz to
succeed Admiral Husband E. Kim |
mel as chief of the Pacific Fleet |
followed creation of the inquiry |
board.
The Senate slashed through red |
tape yesterday to confirm the ap-
pomtment of Rear Admiral Randall |
Jacobs as chief of the Navy's Bu-
reau of Navigation and permit Ad-
miral Nimitz to assume his new
command
Secretary of State Hull today
branded as false report said to
have been circulated in Congress
that he had prevailed on the Navy
Department to withdraw from
around Hawaii before the japanese
attack December 7.
He was asked at press conference
about the rumor which alleged he
had taken such action in order to
avoid offending Japan during his
diplomatic discussions with Jap
anese representatives here last
month. and that withdrawal of the
patrols explained why the Navy was
caught off guard.
Using unusually bitter language,
the Secretary said there was not a
shred of truth, expressed or implied, |
on which to base any part or all of
that kind Of report.