The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-03-17
Statesmen Joined Little Men IN
Street To Praise Military Move
Gen. Macarthur
Is In Australia
BY EVERETT. r. HOLES
United Press staff Correspondent

Washington, March 17.-(UP)-Gen. Douglas
Macarthur, foremost commander Of the United Ma
tons, arrived in Australia from the beleaguered
Philippines today and has assumed supreme COM
mand of Allied forces there in Australias hour of
peril. The famous defender of the Philippines
reached Australia secret arplane flight only
"a few hours after official disclosure that American
troops - air and ground forces I'm considerable
numbers - had landed in Australia and were pre-
pairing to counter Japan's blows against the south
west Pacific bastion.
GOT ORDERS FROM PRESIDENT
Macarthur, the War Department announced,
was ordered by President Roosevelt to leave the
Philippines % days ago and go Australia as soon
as the necessary arrangements could be made. 1t
had been conceded by the top military authorities for
weeks while demands for MacArthurs rescue" from
the Philippines were made in Congress and IN Aus
trala that Presidential order would be necessary
to make him leave his valiant little army that has held
the Japanese at standstill on the Bataan Peninsula
battlefront.
WIFE, SON ACCOMPANIED HIM
Macarthur was accompanied to. Australia
nearly 1000 miles south of the Philippines - by his
wife and son. who during recent weeks were pre-
sumed have remained in Corregidor fortress at the
entrance to Manila Bay. Corregdor has been
bombed frequently by Japanese airplanes. The
American commander, whose stand on Bataan PENN
sula has won the adulation of the nation and world
takes over the post vacated recently by Gen. Sir
Archibald Wavell, British commander who was re-
ieved of the United Nations supreme command IN the
Pacific No successor was named at that time for
Wavell who was returned to his command of the de-
tense of India and also charged with the defense Of
Burma.
MILITARY OFFICIALS WITH HIM
Macarthur also was accompanied his secret flight
to Australia by his chief of staff Major General Richard
X Sutherland Brgaer General Harold HI George OF the
Air Corps several other staff officers the War Depart
ment said in communicate HE will be the supreme COM
accordance with the request of the Australian government
the cOmmunique said.
FEBRUARY % ORDERS WERE ISSUED
"On February % the President directed General
Macarthur to transfer his headquarters from the Philip
pines to Australia the necessary arrangements
could be made General Macarthur requested that he be
Dertted delay in carrying out the order until ne could
perfect arrangements within his command IN the FnMp
pines This delay authorized by President War
Department spokesman emphasized that macarthur $
transfer in the midst of of the most dramatic mill
tary stands history made against numerical odds OF 20
does not mean that the battle OF bataan
is regarded as lost.
GENERAL WAINWRIGHT SUCCEEDS HIM
Major General Jonathan Wainwright, close friend Of
Macarthur and his righthand man in the Philippines Will
carry against the Japanese in the jungle battlefront OF
Bataan, spokesman said.
Wainwright cavalry officer, is former commandment
Fort Myer Va He is regarded one OF the Army
shrewdest students of modern warfare official dispatches
the Philippines during the last three months have
shown.
Macarthur it was believed undoubtedly will lose no
time i'm putting into action the hard hitting tactics which
styied heavy toll of the japanese on Bataan
finally forcing shift in cOmmandersnchef macarthur
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