The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-10-03

: LICE 7

Air-Nsvsl Defeat of laps
Al Midway Most Decisive
Losses Inflicted by u. S.
Has Made Nips Cautious
Willing Down War and
Merchant Fleet Effective
NJ RAT TUCKER
WAS1IINGroN-our top mill
tary experts now classify the air
naval defeat Of tho laps Al Midway
- one Of the worlds most decisive
bstfies-not quite = Waterloo. but
certainly = Saratoga. That en-
kakement. IN their opinion. trans
formed Hirohito from = bully into
= cautious man."
Our high command has been
s1ightly puzzled At Tokyo's failure
thus far 10 take the offensive
against cur forces In the solomon
1slandn. or against Port Moresby
after its troops crossed the Owen
Stanley mountains. We had fully
expected about attacks on both
these positions and were not too
web prepared to resist had they
been launched several weeks ago.
Now--and this IL not giving away
secrets-t foe will have = hard
time recapturinK Cuadalcanal OF
winning the New Guinea base.
which lies only . short distance
from northern Australia.
The Nips. according to our STRAIT
egists' conclusions. are worried
about III Their severe Losses of
aircraft carriers at Midway and
elsewhere: CD. our two TO : one
aerial supremacy ~ demonstrated
every time we have closed with
their planes. and l31 submarine
sinl<ines Of thar fighting and
transport craft.
Without . navy and . merchant
marine. Japan becomes only Sec
ond-rate power. ~ even her own
martial specialists admit. II IL
this consideration which underlies
our major plan In the Pacific
namely. whiting down her ships
and then seeking her.
=
Tokyo had three obvious moves
IN the checkerbcard OF carnage
after her first victorious sweep
through the British. French and
Dutch possessions in the SOUTH
western Pacific and her capture of
Wake. Guam and the Philippines.
II looked then As IL the Oriental
power were master of the ocean.
But 20 far. owing to her repulse
IT Midway. she has not dared capt.
talize on her gains.
II was assumed here that when
singapore and bataan fell the foe
would invade Siberia: march into
. demoralixed and apathetic In
6ia: try 10 smAsh allied forces in
Australia The soviet army's
magnificent stand at stalingrad
= believed 10 have kept the Nip
ponese from attacking Asiatic
Russia II Hitler's crack troops
cannot subdue the Moscovites
neither can the laps and they
know II now. Had the city Of
steel capitulated . month ago.
- Berlin expected. the Mikado's
men would Be swarming through
TIE northern provinces At this
moment.
Our occupation Of islands lying
afhwart the enemy's supply line
to the south apparently deters
TOTO from assauiting India or
Australia In q massive way. II
appears that Japan. instead of
lunging forward. win settle down
70 exploit the lands she has con-
quered and then issue this chsl-
lenEe TO the United Nations:
~come and drive us out"
Incidentally. der fuehrer may
adopt the same strategy II re-
pulsed On the volEa. II win usher
IN = new chapter OF war In which
Britain and the United States
must shed blood. rweat and tears.
hut We are almost ready for that
expenditure and that sacrifice.
Democratic leaders and menu
hers On Capitol Hin were never
more annoyed with President
Roosevelt than At present. Dur
ing thar deliberations on the anti
imitation measure-one Of the most
important since the First World
War-he has withheld counsel and
Influence.
Here u an incident illustrating
he vexafion which il current: In
stead Of consulting party bosses
and aides. +. d. r. has adopted
TIE practice Of sending them
~chits@ and letters containing his
fdeas and. II they please. his or
derA Although he wants his views
relayed to other boys with pres
tige IN the house and senate. ne
attempts 70 flatter the recipients
~ LABELLING his communications
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