Evening star., 1942-02-22
Australian Officials
Order Civilians 10
Eyacuate Darwin
Curtin Emphasizes,
However, He Is Not
Invoking Martial Low
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CAMERA, Australia, Feb. 21.-
The Australian government ,antici-
pating further direct attacks on
the mainland by the Japanese,
ordered civilians today to evacuate
the north coast naval station OF
Darwin, potentially a vital supply
base in the United Nations south
west Pacific strategy.
All women except nurses were
ordered to leave.
Prime Minister John Curtin en-
phasized, however, that he was not
invoking martial law.
London has been bombed but
not conquered and Darwin has been
bombed but not conquered" he
declared Martial law was not
declared in either place." ~
At the same time an official de-
nial was issued of Japanese claims
that Allied naval units suffered
heavy damage in Thursdays two
bombing attacks on the north coast
port, attacks which constituted the
first assaults on the Australian
mainland since it became part of
the British Empire.
Details Are Withheld.
However, all details of damage
actually inflicted were withheld as
information of possible value to the
enemy.
Mr.. Curtin also took occasion to
deny a Toxic radio statement that
q hospital ship in Darwin Harbor.
was not attacsked. The Prime
Minister said the ship was at
tackled and damaged and there
were casualties" Other reports
declared casualties also were in
flicted when japanese planes ma
chine-gunned two hospitals in the
town.
The possibility that German-made
planes are being used by the Japa-
nese in the AuStralasian zone OF
operations was seen in an R. A. F.
communique which stated that sew
eral planes participating in the
attacks on Darwin bore the SwaStika
markings of the Nazi air force.
The r. A. F. also gave the first
partial Allied confirmation If Toxic
assertions that the Portuguese
Dutch island of Timor has been in
vaded. R. A. T. planes were said
to have located an enemy convoy
near Koepang, capital OF the islands
western or Dutch section, Friday
morning. An air raid on Koepang
was reported the same iay.
There has been no further COM
munication since from r. A. f. units
there" said the communique.
Defense Measures Passed.
Meanwhile. defense measures were
stepped up in Southern Australia.
In the eastern command, which in
cludes New South Wales, married
men from 18 to IS were called
into service. the Premier Of Victoria
ordered that no light should be
shown at night in any building
within 10 miles of the coast, anG
a Canberra decree removed employees
of banks and insurance companies
from the list of reserved occupations.
An editorial in the Melbourne
Herald hailed formation of the new
British war cabinet "since 1t means
that changes in the direction of the
war long demed essential have been
achieved while still retaining the
services of Prime Minister Church
ILL.,"
However. the Herald declared,
"the introduction of new blood and
the dropping of ministers who had
ceased to enjoy any large measure
of public confidence alone will not
affect all that is desired !e-
sponsibility mast be spread widely
and due Difference must be given
to the views of acknowledged spe-
cialists in strategy. If this is done
the scope Of Britain's war effort
should be enlarged and its tempo
accelerated under Churchill's al
ways inspiring leadership"