The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-02-05
Economic .
eM9hA9hA
National and International Problems
Mseparable from Local Welfare

Big question in the minds of millions
Iof Americans has been: where is the
Navy?" That question was partially
answered on January "a, % and 26,
when the Navy Department announced
that a group of destroyers from Ad-
miral Harts Asiatic Fleet had pounced
upon a conveyed fleet of japanese
transports in the East Indies and de-
Istroyed numerous vessels and damaged
Others.
The actual disposition of the main
fleet is one of the most closely held
naval secrets. Those amateur strate-
gists who argue that it should boldly
sail into dominated waters
land come to grips with the enemy's
main fleet in gigantic action, are
given no support by men who under
stand naval warfare. The advantages
possessed by the japanese fleet in the
Far East are clear. She has major
bases less than a thousand miles from
the Philippines. Her ships can be given
constant air support. Our nearest i'm
|portant base, Pearl Harbor, is thou
sands of miles away, far beyond the
effective range of even the largest air.
Iplanes We would, in short go into
battle with all the odds against us,
is still our first line of continental
defense.
1t may be that Admiral Hart is
using his forces for what might be
termed guerilla naval warfare. Small
units can strike quickly, inflict damage
on the enemy, and get away. They can
constantly harry the japanese, and
make the enemy convoy problem one
of ever-growing difficulty. japanese
land victories in the Far East have
Iovershadowed the fact that we and our
Allies are destroying tremendous
amounts of Nipponese shipping That,
in the long pull, will be exceedingly
important According to all authorities,
japanese ship-replacement capacity is
Exceedingly limited, now that she has
been cut off from this country'S scrap
iron and other resources. Every ship
that goes down represents Il serious
loss.
II is clear what japanese strategy
lis now. First, she must have oil
THAT is the reason for invasion of the
East Indies. But the Dutch say that
they have destroyed all wells in Jap
occupied areas so thoroughly that
many months of labor will be required
to return them to production.
Second, she must completely con-
quer the Philippines, AS long us Gen
eral Douglas MacArihur's magnificent
troops are able % hold positions on
the mainland, along with Corregidor
Ifortress,key to Manila Bay, Japan will
have to maintain and supply tremen-
douS army in those islands. MacAr-
thurs headquarters have reported that
the Japanese have between 100000 and
100000 soldiers in the field against
him.
Third, she must take Singapore.
! Whoever possesses that great base
dominates the Far East to tremen-
the Allies, the job of defeating Japan
would become immensely harder and
longer.
Japan has gone all-Out, following
The German blitzkrieG technique. Ac-
cording to reports from the front lines,
she apparently cares little for casual
Macarthur has said that wave
latter wave of Japanese troops, many
without even complete uniforms, have
been sent against his forces, moved
waves. japanese commanders appar-
emily feel that they must win their
objectives swiftly, if they are to win
at all.
The next month or two may tell the
story. If Japan takes Singapore, the
Dutch Indies and the Philippines, there
ICan be little doubt but what years
must pass before sufficient Allied pow
er can be turned loose TO unSeat her.
| If Singapore is held, and Allied air
and naval units are able to infIict
increasingly heavy blows on the enemy,
the Japanese drive could lose momen-
lum very suddenly. Today, Japan is
the strongest force in the Pacific. The
! hope is that the balance of power will
be reversed before she is able to con
Solidatc her gains and stabilize the po-
SilionS she has seized and is attempt
ing TO seize.
X X X
| This country did not get all that it
hoped for from the meeting of the
American Republics. Sumner Welles
did IL fine job, but Argentina proved
adamant at the last, as many antici-
lpatcd. However, it is certain that Il
considerable step forward was taken
toward the goal of hemisphere solid
larity.
The overwhelming ma ajority of the
ILatin-American nations have now brok-
en- off all diplomatic and commercial
relations with the Axis Many have de-
Iclarcd war on Japan, Germany and
Italy. All have declared that their
sympathics lie with the United States.