Evening star., 1941-02-16

0000 900 worth Of essential COM
modities from this area and sells
$3.50 100000 worth of American
goods annually. Mr.. Casey con-
tends that thus far the potential
tiles of this region have only been
scratched. A survey Of the re-
sources of a single such mineral
treasure house as New Caledonia,
precariously held by Free French
regime, is sufficient to sustain his
thesis.
This area is exceedingly tempt
ing to resource-hungry regimes such
as Japan and Germany. Prior to
1914 Germany had extensive pos
sessions in this region. The ex-
ltremely valuable fertilized deposits
on the island of Nauru as we'll as
German portions of New Guinea and
Samoa went to Australia and New
Zealand in the course Of the war,
but Japan got the valuable Marshall
and Caroline Islands and thus was
brought disturbingly near to Austria
lasia.
1t is generally believed in Austria
lasia. though not officially stated,
that the reason German raiders were
able, by mid-January, to sink or de-
stroy by mines some 20 British,
French and Norwegian vessels with
a tonnage in excess of 131 900 tons
was because they could operate ef-
fectively from bases in the Japan
ese-controlled islands as we'll as
from ports in Japan and Japanese
controlled ports in China. officers
of the sunken ships testified that
some of the German raiders operat-
ed under japanese names and car
ried the japanese flag until just be-
fore going into action.
Nazis Well Informed.
The captains of the German raid
ers revealed a startling knowledge
of the movements and contents of
allied merchant vessels as well as
Australian naval vessels. They also
are remarkably familiar with the in
Vulnerable islands Of that part Of
the Pacific, landing their prisoners
where help is most difficult of access.
The raiders have captured or de-
stroyed many millions of dollars
worth of cargo and have seriously
hampered shipping between various
points in Australasia as well as ship
ping between Australasia and the
United Kingdom.
Another reason the Germain raid
ers managed to operate with such
success was that during the emer-
gencies in the English Channel and
the Mediterranean, Australia and
New Zealand had stripped them
selves of virtully all of their naval
and much of their air strength to
help defend the British Isles. That
situation is being corrected. Aus
tralasian naval units have been re-
called to home waters and additional
naval vessels are being built. More
than so naval craft of various sizes
are under construction in Australia
most of them of the Corvette GOO
tons) type, but one destroyer OF the
Tribal class was recently completed.
a second has been launched and
work has started on a third.
Gets United States Planes.
Australia is at last getting de-
livery on the consolidated PB Y
flying boats ordered from America.
These planes have a cruising range
of 1000 miles and will be invaluable
in scouting over the vast stretches
of the Pacific to track down the
German raiders. The steps being
taken to provide Australasia with
planes and aviators for home de-
fenSe will be described in subsequent
articles.
heard surprisingly little criticism
in Australia of the governments
policy in weakening its own home
defenses to help defend Great Brit
ain. Most Australians take it for
granted that if Britain should be
lost, Australia will be lost. That is
because Australia's economic life is
utterly dependent on trade with the
United Kingdom as well as because
of traditional political, defense and
sentimental ties.
Australians and New Zealanders
cannot imagine how they would exist
if the vast markets in the British
Isles for their meat. wheat. wool and
dairy products should disappear per-
manently.
Thus, in fighting for the defense
of Britain, Australasians assume
that they are fighting in their own
defense. In an economic as we'll as
strategic sense. the defense of Aus
tralasia begins in the English Chan
mel and the Mediterranean.
| (Copyright. 1871, Chicago Daily News. Inc)