Evening star., 1942-02-24
Final Victory
Is Predicted
For Allies
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, Feb. 24.-Prlme Min
lister Churchill told the House of
Commons today that Japan
rules the air and is exercising a
, temporary and waning COM
mand of the sea" in the area of
her operations, but he predicted
a final victory, which he said
might come unexpectedly, over
the Axis.
The Japanese also are employing
numerically superior land forces of
about 26 divisions-probably 800, 900
combat troops and 100000 additional
men in supply and auxiliary forces
in the Abda (American, British,
Dutch, Australian area, he added,
and their command of the air
makes it costly and difficult for
our air reinforcements to establish
themselves and secure dominance. +"
Efforts to reinforce the area are
further complicated by Britain's
very heavy" shipping losses since
1899, losses which he admitted had
shown a most serious increase in the
last two months.
Our anti-U-boat f1otillas and
naval light forces Of all kinds are
strained to the utmost limit" he
asserted.
Plans Reconstruction.
Thus, as result Of Japan's entry
into the war, Britain must reckon
with AN evident prolongation of
the war"-perhaps until 1943 or
1914.
But he announced that he shortly
would submit q scheme for post
war reconstruction because I'VE
cannot be sure as in the last war
that victory may not come upon
us unexpectedly"
Even without sensational victories,
he suggested successful conclusion
of the war might come for the
United Nations through the effects
Of attrition.
"It would not be necessary even
to push back the German lines
over all the territory they have
absorbed. Germany might be- de-
feated more fatally in the fourth
or fifth year of the war than if
the Allies had marched into Berlin
in the first year," r.r-,r
Announcing that Generahssimo
Chang Kai-shek has accepted an
invitation to join the Pacific War
Council, body on which Britain,
the Netherlands Indies, New Zea-
land and Australia already are rep
resented for the purposes of recon-
mending war strategy, he declared
that If we can look forward across"
the initial setbacks since Japan en-
tered the war I'VE can see very
clearly that our position has been
enormously improved not only in
the last two years but in the last
few months"
He said he had no more news of
what had happened at Singapore,
on the fall of which he would mot
attempt to pass Judgment which
would be an unreasonable and
very ungracious task"
No More Cabinet Changes.
Declaring he was satisfied with
the present assignments of various
cabinet members in the reshuff1ed
government and the chiefs of staff,
he said he had no intention of max
ing further major changes. Only
few undersecretaries may be
shifted. it was indicated.
Mr.. Churchill did not mention
Generalissimo Chiang's mission to
India. The Indian question, how
ever, was brought up Immediately
in the debate by Laborite James
Grifiths, who asserted the country
expects "the setting aside of all
vested interests" and a new ap-
proach to India"
Conservative Sir Archibald South
by referred to the escape of the
German battleships Gneisenau and
Scharnhorst and declared "the les
son of Brest is that we should make
our naval bases as impregnable from
air attacks as the Germans made
Brest."
Mr.. Churchill was facing Com
mons for the first time since max
ing wholesale changes in his gov
ernment and bringing Russia's
friend, Sir Stafford Cripps, into the
cabinet.
In the lobby members generally
indicated they were prepared to give
Mr.. Churchill's new team"
chance.
Loss Of Aides Regretted.
Expressing regret at the loss to
the government of his colleagues
who readily placed their resigna-
tions" in his hands in order to ia
cilitate the changes of the past
week, MIR. Churchill declared:
They had, of course, no greater
share of responsibility than the rest
of the administration in the disasters
which have fallen on us in the Far
East"
Mr.. Churchill said he was sure
the government had achieved
more tensely braced and contained
administration to meet the new
dangers and difficulties coming upon
u.s."
Mr.. Churchill has shaken up his
government twice within less than q
week-first in "streamlining" the
war cabinet, with the inclusion of
(See CHURCHILL, Page A-4)