Evening star., 1942-03-02
Java Most Dense|y
Populated Region
In Entire World
82l to Square Mile;
Economic Resources
Are Vast
BY the Associated Press.

Java, the nndl clCadel OF Cne
Netherlands Indies and next to Aus
tralia as a primary line Of defense
for the United Nations In the South
west Pacific, would be the richest
prize so far in the swath of Japanese
conquest.
There the Dutch have massed a
highly trained but inadequately
equipped army, upward of $50, 1000
men, supported by other thousands
of American, Australian and British
troops. About $4,000 of the Dutch
fighters are Europeans, the rest are
native 1donesians-untried, but
loyal and courageous fighters.
Like the spokes of a vast wheel,
all the Japanese invasion thrusts
In the Southwest Pacific have been
aimed at the hub Of Java.
Small forces of Dutch colonials
on the other overrun or by-passed
NetherlanG. Indies islands have been
delasine the invader and demolition
squads have been distressing vital
installations. In Java the bulk OF
the army, as well as an efficient
navy and air force, is concentrated.
Small Naval Force.
When war erupted in that idyllic,
equatorial section the Dutch naval
forces consisted of about four
cruisers, six or more destroyers,
about l8 submarines, large numbers
Of motor torpedo boats and other
small craft.
These have been joined by an un-
estimated number of British, Aus
tralian and American men O. war.
The United States naval commu-
nique Saturday spoke Of a large
cruiser and six American destroyers
In action against part OF the Japa-
nese invasion feet.
The Dutch also have an effective
little air force, reinforced recently
by American flyers and planes. The
fighters and bombers are nearly all
new and of American types. Prob
ably 200 long and medium range
bombers are based on 20 or more
hidden airfields, carved oyt Of the
green jungles.
The bombers are excellent and the
Curtiss pursuit planes in action are
probably more than a match for
the japanese fighters, If they are
not overwhelmed by sheer weight
of numbers.
Fairly Well Equipped.
The Dutch and Allied land forces
are fairly well equipped but are
believed to lack in quantity such
vital equipment as tanks and anti
tank guns.
The prime enemy goal apparent
iy is the naval base at Soerabaja,
capable of handling destroyers and
heavy cruisers. It is the last i'm
portant Allied naval base in the
Southwest Pacific, and probably al
ready has been neutralized to
large extent by japanese air power
and the proximity of her fleet units.
Java overall is the most densely
inhabited region of the world with
e2l persons to the square mile. OF
the 100000 persons in the Meth
erland Indies $4,000 900 are crowd
ed into the 622-mile-long island.
They are loyal people, because the
Dutch colonial policy has been en-
ughtened and progressive.
The slim island is so to $50 miles
wide and Is covered with rice fields,
forests, towering mountains and 125
volcanoes. 1t is a little larger than
New York State.
The economic prizes are vast.
Java has oil, though of poorer
quality than the destroyed wells of
Palembang. Tarakan and Balik-
papan. Its rice sahwahs in the
rich red earth Of the steep hillsides
make Java the granary of the Malay
Peninsula. There are vast teak
forests, rubber plantations. tin
mines and cinchona bark for
quinine
Fountain of Riches.
European traders for centuries
have used Java as trade center
for traffic in cloves, nutmeg, pepper,
mace, sandalwood, coffee and tea.
Java has been a fountain of riches
for the Netherlands homeland.
United States firms have $70000,-
900 invested in the Indies, much of
1t in Java.
Java's defenses have BEEN care
fully prepared for several years, for
indeed the Dutch we're among the
first to see clearly the Japanese
threat
Fixed positions with concrete pill
boxes stud the island and 10000
miles of roads make 1t easy swiftly
to transfer troops to threatened
sectors. An extensive railway sys-
tenn links both ends and both sides
of the island and there are thou
sands Of sturdy buses and trucks.
Java's refneries and oil wells are
concentrated west of Soerabaja,
though some oil is found on the
coast north of Bandoeng, head
quarters of the Dutch and Allied
high commands. The Dutch long
ago completed detailed preparations
to apply the torch should their
armed forces fail.
Batavia Trade Center.
Batavia, the capital, is 60 miles
from the west end and was in peace
the home of a half million people.
1t is the trade center of the whole
treasure island archipelago.
Bandoeng has large arsenal and
lies high in the mountains 100 miles
southeast of Batavia.
Java's wet and tropical climate
causes plethora of cloudiness which
both helps and harms aerial de-
fense, but it helps make the land
one of the most productive spots in
the world.
The natives are principally Mo-
hammedan in religion and Malayan
in race, and $50 different languages
are spoken.
Europe probably first heard of
Java in the true tall tales of Marco
Polo. His writing prompted the
Dutch to place a fort at Batavia in
1910 and the growth and develop
ment have been almost constant
since then Tho Dn1trh r,ou,or r,o