Evening star., 1942-12-12
Stimson
Continued From First Page.)


Singapore, Borneo, Java, New
Guinea and the Solomons.
In the African campaign those
conditions, he said, were precisely
reversed.
A very powerful enemy" he said,
controlled Europe and islands in
the Mediterranean and control OF
the Mediterranean was divided and
in dispute.
80 at North Africa, a surprise
was absolutely necessary and that
was the only way it could be sue
cess the Secretary said.
Race for Showdown.
In giving an overall" resume Of
the North African operations, Mr..
Stimson declared that the campaign
thus far has been a race" between
the light forces of the Allies and
Germans before bringing in heavy
armament for the final showdown
fight.
At the same time, he continued.
United States units not only are
gaining valuable experience in their
frontal contacts with the enemy, but
are forestalling any German at
tempts to improve the enemys po-
sitions.
Radio communication in North
Africa has now been set up, he de-
clared, so that it is possible for the
War Department to keep in touch
with commanders i'll the field di-
rectly instead of by roundabout ways.
The North African operations also
have served, he pointed out. to give
American troops confidence in
matching so strong an enemy as
Germany.
Fight for Air Control.
Our forces are getting, OVER their
buck fever and are making a graft
flying showing. most disheartening
to the enemy" he asserted.
The ,stase. Of. the campaign today
Is one Of naneuveringLf for position
and for control OF the air, he de-
clared
Citing the fighting capabilities of
our land forces as one of our very
great advantages" Mr.. Stimson said
another advantage lies in the fact
that our airplanes have shown them
selves the equal to German planes
and at times far superior This is
borne out, he said, in giving a score
by which the Allied air forces, dur
ing the course of the week ended
December 5, destroyed AZ Axis planes
and probably 10 others. Our own
losses were only II planes" he
said
Mr.. Stimson described the desper-
ate fighting in which small
American task force" turned and de-
stroyed the German flank at Guessa
Ridge about week ago.
1t is these small task forces on
which the American forces are de-
pending to prepare the way for the
big offensive, he added.
1t was in connection with the IA
vorable turn Of affairs in North
Africa that the Secretary sought to
counteract the optimism with which
the American public is now gauging
results.
"Just Beginning"
I'VE are just now beginning" he
said. The idea that there will be
no further toll, sweat and blood
ahead would lead this country into
trepp dlfSrhlfioe
He explained that there are two
obstacles in the way of better COM
munications from North Africa.
The first obstacle, which is hand
icapping the press no more than it
is the War Department, he said. is
due to the unsettled groundwork on
which the commands depend arising
out of the hurried actions involved
in the original surprise attack.
The second obstacle is one of
artificial delays and steps are being
taken to remove them, he said
Radio stations have been prepared
lines of communications set up and
it is now possible to communicate
directly with our forces in North
Africa.
Mr.. Stimson expressed the opinion
that press estimates of the German
strength at Tunisia are pretty
nigh" He said the War Depart
ment had no more than a rough
estimate of its own, which he did
not disclose.
by very careful and successful
planning" he added, coupled with
extraordinary luck and fortune we
achieved wonderful surprise at
tack"
Light Forces Raced Ahead.
He told of American light forces
racing ahead, although there were
not suficient air fields and mechani-
cal preparations to permit a STEP
by-step campaign such as that Of
the Japanese In the South Pacific.
I'VE know that If we didn't sue
ceed the Germans could come over
a narrow part Of the Mediterranean
in full force and dig in," Mr.. Stim-
son said. The light armored forces,
he continued, would not In such q
case be adequately protected from
air. but those light forces could slow
up the enemy drive while prepara-
tions for aerial warfare were made.
That is the state we have reach
ed today" he said.
He said that most Of the attacking
force in movement thus far has
been British, but that some Ameri-
can troops have been getting a
chance to overcome buck fever on