The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-18
MacArthur Prepares
 For Jap ':Show-Dow
Continued from Page D


 Australia, has become commander in-chief of all the United Nations military, naval and air forces 1T the southwest Pacific-Australia New Zealand, the Philippines anC the whole broad battlefront east O Singapore.
 Roosevelt Statement
 Tie President issued this state ment:
 1T know that every man and wo- man in the United States admireI with me General MacArthur's deter mination to fight to the finish witt his men in the Philippines. But also know that every man and wo' man is in agreement that all i'm portant decisions must be made witt c view toward the successful termin' ation of the war. Knowing this, am sure that every American, | faced individually with the ques ton as to where general MacArthui could best serve his country, coult come to only one answer"
 The fact that the United Statei has been given the main authority ln saving Australia was emphasized further by an announcement today of Australian Prime Minister Johr Curtin that Lieut.. Gen. George II Brett of the U. s. army air corpi has been named commander of tho combined United Nations air forces In the southwest Pacific under Mac Arthur.
 Military commentators said tha' with MacArthur's assumption of thC supreme command, succeeding Bri' tLsh Gen. Sir Archibald P. Wayell more and more American doughboyi undoubtedly will be poured Into Aus tralia to form formidable A. P. F
 The Australians regard their'con' tinent as the last basion between thu west coast Of America and the Jap anese.
 Save Both Nations
 Curtin recently warned the United StateE--about the time Australia asked President Roosevelt that Mac Arthur be gent to assume the United Nations command-that "the Sav' ing Of Australia Is the saving oi Ai1lerlca's west coast. If you believe anything to the contrary you de- Jude yourselves"
 Many, both in the United Statel and abroad, predicted that Mac Arthur's shift to Australia, whict sent new hopes surglng through thu anti-Axis world, marks the end O. defensive warfare in the Pacific afit q quick shift to the offensive.
 Some are looking or an earl! Surprise" from MacArthur, wht demonstrated unorthodox and bril liant tactics on the jungle battle front Of Bataan by attacking wher the Japanese least expected 1t ane when his forces were vastly out numbered.
 Informed quarters warned, how ever, that MacArthur'S task is bS no means an easy one and tha' holding Northern Australia Is hi immediate concern.
 It is quite likely, they said, that the Japanese may decide to hazare an all-out blow at Australia's north ern defenses in hopes of beating MacArthur to the punch.
 Teach Japs 4 Lesson
 Washington, March l8- (UP) - The Japanese have learned that the transfer of Gen. Douglas Macarthur 10 Australia will make little differ 6nce in the stiff resistance they nave met from the American -Fili- pino defenders on Bataan Peninsula
 The enemy, probably having heard Of the change Of commond, tried out the Bataan lines yesterday with q raid-their first activity in that area since March 8. The answer was Bimpie-rnore Of the same sort Of death dealing repulSe that the Bataan forces diShed out under Mac Arthur.
 The raid was "easiiy repulsed" by men under the new Philippine com irlander, Maj. Gen. Jonathan Wain- wright, 68, hard-bitten cavalry of- flcer who, his friends say, is from the same "hell bent for leather school of military strategy aS his boss and close friend, MacArthur.
 The enemy action was the first since Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, the conqucror Of Singapore, replaced