Evening star., 1941-12-05

1Or QeJendng me rich lndleS IN
this first statement for the
American public. 1Dritten erclu-
SiUely for Wide World Ne1US.
BY LIT. GEN. HEN TER POORTEN,
Commander in Chief Royal Netherlands
Indies Army.
BATAVIA. Java, Netherlands East
Indies, Dec 5.-The military prepa-
rations of the Netherlands East In
dies, originally predicated solely on
defense, today have such scope that
they could be used for attack should
hoStilitieS break out in this Southern
Pacific zone.
The strength of the Indies air arm
has grown with such rapidity-
thanks largely to shipments of mod
nrn American planes-that the high
command has had to change its
strategic plans.
Originally it was the opinion that
Java as the main island would have
to be defended while the outer prov
inces should be left to their fate in
case of an invasion (the principal
west of Singapore; Dutch Borneo,
North of Java; the Celebes and New
Guinea) Now. as a result of the
growing power of the air arm. this
standpoint has been abandoned and
1t has been decided that the outer
provinces must be the first line of
defense and the basic center of any
Intensive O0CSihilitV
Ready for Instant Action.
Our plans today are designed to
meet the new situation in the
Southern Pacific and the needs of
our allies Backed by armed forces
whose strength has been brought to
an all-time high. these plans can be
set in motion instantaneouslv. 1t
might be pointed out In this connec-
ton that the formation of parachute
troops is well advanced.
AS regards cooperation between
the Netherlands East Indies and
Great Britain, this is an irrefutable
fact Clearly enough, the Malayan
peninsula, the Indies and Australia
form strategic unit Any one of
the powers having interests along
an imaginary line from the Malayan
peninsula to Australia must of nee
eSSity. come to the assistance of
any other state having similar in
terestS. The Indies army equip
ment has, as far as possible. been
brought into line with that of the
eventual Allies so that the Indies
army today partly uses the same
callber guns for example, as the
Australian army.
The greatest extension in the
sweeping defense preparations of
the Indies has been achieved in the
air forces which are now composed
of a great modern feet of bombers,
mainly Glenn Martins, while North
Americans are expected to arrive
shortly in considerable numbers
There also is a goodly number of
American interceptors, reconnais-
sance and pursuit planes, together
with Ryan training machines.
Practice in Dogfights.
Continuously, men are being edu-
Gated for their task in the war in
the air. 1t is, for instance, a COM
monplace sight to see simulated
dogfights between bombers and
Single-seaters over this East Indies
capital. Batavia is about 500 miles
southeast of Singapore and 1000
miles from the southern tip of
French Indo-China, which Japan
could use as a springboard for her
possible next military thrust
In case of an attack, the first de-
fense line would undoubtedly be the
- navy and air arm. These would
have the task of fighting off any
attack launched at the Indies and
over the waters surrounding this
valuable raw materials arsenal of
the democracies. Next. the army
would have the task of local defense
It would cooperate with the air
force should parachute troops oper-
ations take place. The Indies have
separate naval and army air forces,
like the United States. The defense
plans are geared to meet any pos
sible aggression, from whatever side
it might come Each day its mill
tarv power increases.
The army, consisting of a firm
nucleus Of professional soldiers and
European as we'll as native draftees