The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-04-09
Economic . s.
eMhA7hA
National and International Problems
Inseparable from Local Welfare

The first step which must be taken
in carrying the war to Japan is an OBJ
vious one-to disrupt and to break the
long-extended Nipponese supply lines.
Hundreds and in some cases thousands
of miles of water lie between Japanese
bases and areas she has conquered.
Her life lnie consists of her merchant
fleet and naval conveys. So long as
she has enough protected tonnage TO
carry the immense quantities of sup
plies needed by her eXpeditionary
forces, she will hold the upper hand.
Once substantial inroadS are made in
to her transport and fighting fleets,
mounting odds. And the farther she
goes across the wide Pacific, the more
shipping she will require.
Therefore, there is encouragement in
the casualties our military forces and
those of other United Nations have
been intlicting on Japanese shipping.
Much of this news has never made the
headlines, which have been largely oc-
|cupied by accounts of Japan's success
in taking and mopping up Pacific po-
|sitions. But it is the kind of news
THAT, in the long run, will do much to
determine the outcome of the war. As
Paul Mallon puts it, Day by day, in
|every way, our Navy and Army have
been peclling away, mainly at the in
Indispensable but unspectacular phase of
the Jap attack-the transport, supply
land tanker ships and their convoy pro
lection"
The toll of japanese losses is i'm
lpressive. Up to March 10, the United
Nations officially reported the sinking
of 1lO supply ships and damaging of
"a, or i total of 164 put out of action.
That, According to the most reliable
estimates, is in excess Of 20 per cent OF
all Japanese shipping which can be
used for supply purposes.
The United Nations further reported
the destruction of II Jap cruisers
along with q damaged, and the sink
ing Of % destroyerS plus II damaged
Two Jap battleShipS have been sent &c
the bottom. And so have three aircraft
carriers.
The United Nations ship losses have
of course, also been great. But tht
military importance of such losses cal
only be Judged in the light of replace
mcnt capacity. According to Mr.. Nal
Ion, .Iapan'S merchant shipbuilding ca
pacity is 100000 to 100000 gross tons
per year We will build i'm the
neighborhood of 100000 gross ton!
this year and almost twice as mucE
next year. In addition to that, our Al
lies will produce Il considerable ton
mage. &
This does MT Jtean. we should rur
the danger of minimizing Japan's ex
listing fighting fleet and merchant navy
in evidence in this war and is perhaps
'Ibeing held in reserve for a major en-
Igagemcnt. 1t is likely that she ha'
more fighting craft than used to b,
generally belieyed-there is certainl!
no reason for thinking that she car
ried out her part of the naval limita
'ltiOn agreements which she and al
Iother naval powers signed back in The
: I2Os What this does mean is that, TN
) less all authorities are wrong, Japal
does not possess Il ship Replacement
capacity in any way comparable t.
ours. Japan probably spent 20 year
preparing for this war, and she ha'
la big edge at the start. Our job is It
Overcome that edge.
X X X
The worldwide enthusiasm Whicl
followed the announcement of Genera
= IMacArthur'S dramatic transfer to Aus
tralia, and his assumption of Suprcm
command of all United Nations air
army and naval forces in the racil
: lthcater, is easily understood. He is th
IWar'S number one hero. His achieve
mcnt in the Philippines alone make
him one of the great commanders q
history.
= iut we must not make the mistake
Iof thinking that General MacArthu,
brilliant and daring as he is, will i'm
imcdHtcly turn the scales. He canno
produce miracles. He made that yer.
IClear ON his arrival in Melbourne Whci
Ihc said: "SucCcSs in modern war re
IuuircS something more than COurag
land Willingness to die. 1t require
ICarcful preparation. This means fur
IniShing sufficient troops and Suilicien
materials To meet the known strength
|Of the potential enemy. No general cai
make something from nothing. My sue
cess or failure will depend primaril,
upon the resources which our reSpeC
Tive governments place ut my dis
,lpoSal'
There Is II challenge i'm that TO ever,
Industry, every worker, every govern
Imcnt official in this country. For TN
Igreat bulk of the supplies of war mus
come from here Australia is Il vas
continent, but it has only 100000 pco
'lplc and relatively little industry. w,
lmuSt become the arsenal of demOC
Tracy" in fact, not in theory.
u The art of gcneralship is TO do th
lmOSt with what one has, to gain ma VI
Imum result at minimum cost. Genera
lNIDcA IF Iur has shown that he master