Evening star., 1942-10-28
Climax in the SoIomons

The issue has been joined" stated
Secretary of the Navy Knox in his
press conference yesterday. This
terse pronouncement we'll describes
the crucial phase of the great sea,
air, and land clash that has been
waged between the American and
Japanese forces for the past fort
night with ever-growing intensity.
Although Japans immediate OBJ
jective appears to be Guadalcanal
with its strategic airfield, the battle
ranges over a much wider area. In
deed, the hottest fleet action yet
announced is off the Santa Cruz
Islands, which lie some 300 miles
southeast of the Solomons and about
halfway between them and the New
Hebrides. This especially should be
noted, because it may mean a Japa-
nese thrust at our air base on
Espiritu Santo Island, one of the
northernmost of the New Hebrides.
II the Japanese are throwing in the
bulk OF their fleet, as reported, in an
all-out effort to smash our hold on
the South Pacific, they might we'll be
strong enough to try simultaneous
attacks on Guadalcanal and Espiritu
Santo. If successful, that would
mean direct menace to our main
line OF communication with Aus
tralia, which runs via Fiji and New
Caledonia, just south of the New
Hebrides.
Secretary Knox emphasized that
this is not single-line action with
both fleets ranged formally against
each other, but rather "war of
maneuver," with naval units widely
scattered and fighting in close CO.
ordination with aircraft, land and
carrier based alike. Aircraft carriers
are certainly bearing a heavy part of
the battle. We have acknowledged
the loss of the Wasp, over a month
ago, and grave damage more recently
to another carrier, while we claim to
have damaged two Japanese carriers.
The fact that the Wasp was sunk,
neither by gunfire nor by aerial
bombs but by torpedoes from Japa-
nese submarine reveals another
phase Of the complicated combat
that is being waged. Though Toxic
claims may be exaggerated, there can
be no doubt that losses are heavy on
both sides and it will be unwise to
pin our hopes on the belief that
Japan's accounts of our casualties
are extravagant.
1t Is, indeed, a process of rapid
"attrition," to cite another of Secre-
tary Knox's phrases. And unfortu-
nately our losses thus far seem to be
as heavy, If not heavier than those
of the enemy. With both fleets
being thus whitfield down in continu-
Gus fighting, the ultimate issue Of
the battle may be decided by the re-
Inducements which can be thrown
in. Our strength in the South Pa
clfic is, of course, a military secret,
but it is disturbing fact that the
main japanese bases in the man.
dated islands are nearer the scene of
action than ours. The brightest spot
in an otherwise uncertain picture is
the continued edge which our air
arm seems to have over the enemys
So far-fung and complex strug-
gle may rage for another week or
even fortnight before the issue is
decided. It is conceivable that, even
then, neither side would have won a
clear-cut victory. But the chances
seem to be that the fate of our be-
leaguered garrison at Guadalcanal
would be involved. 1t hardly can
maintain itself indefinitely unless
the japanese naval offensive is
broken and control of the waters
about the Southern Solomons passes
decisively into our hands. The Japa-
nese have brought on this battle,
which implies that they thus far hold
the initiative. It is devoutly to be
hoped that the story of Midway-and
not Bataan-Will repeat itself.