The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-03
Japs Expected to Renew Fight to Retake
 SOIOmOns CONSERVATIVE REPORTS GIVEN BY U. s. NAVY
Americans On Guadalcanal Are Stepping Up Offen-
 sive Against Japs
BY SAND0R S. KLEIN United Press Staff Correspondenss

Washington, November 3. - (UP) = Secretary of Navy Frank Knox revealed today that two additional Japanese cruisers and a destroyer had been sunk in recent naval action in the Solomons, but he warened that the enemy remains powerful and that desperately hard fighting is ahead"
 ' There is no warrant for optiin- ism" the secretary said, adding that some of the headlines this morn ing were more optimistic than the situation justified"
 Knox told press conference that Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley, recently replaced as commanders in-chief of the South Pacific area by Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. had personally brought back news of heavy Japanese losses in naval action the night o fOc- tober II -l2.
 Reports Conservative In that battle, according to Ghormley's report to Knox, the en- , emy lost three cruisers and five i destroyers. Knox cited this as proof that Navy communiqueS consistently had been conservative. The com munique of Oct. B, describing the night battle near Savo Island, claimed that one heavy enemy cruis- CT. four destroyers and one trans port were sunk and two cruisers damaged.
 This communique also listed a fifth Japanese destroyer as damaged and probably sunk.
 The battle, which lasted 30 min- utes and was fought with guns and torpedoes. frustrated an enemy landing attempt.
 Knox's disclosures followed Navy announcements yesterday that Ma rines on Guadalcanal had driven tEe enemy in slow retreat back two miles from positions near the vest ern limits of the islands airport and that Japanese plane losses in the Solomons had been raised to at least 529.
 Home for Rest
 The secretary said Ghormley, who launched the Solomons campaign Aug. ' and directed it until recent ly. was back Eome for a rest.
 'T told him to take good rest and recover his health" Knox said. He has been under a terrific strain"
 Knox praised the work of United States submarines which have been preying on the enemy's extended supply lines in the Far East. The Navy announced yesterday that American subs had sunk seven addi- tional Japanese ships and damaged three others-including a converted aircraft carrier which was set afire bringing their total for the war to l33 ships sunk or damaged.
 T am particularly proud of the submarines. which are doing ar amazing and outstanding job" Knox said. This is primarily a war of attrition in the Pacific. No arm is serving a more important part III this war of attrition than the sub marines"
 Sub Losses Light
 Knox added that U. S. submarine losses have been extremely light"
 Knox said, however. that despite Japanese ship losses i've know they have a fleet of formidable propor. tions left: we haven't any doubi they will come back: 1t is dangerous to assume they won't be back"
 'I don't want to build up optim- ism,v he continued, "that will bf punctured later by the desperately hard fighting that Is ahead"
 American forces oR Guadaleanal after standing ups tes extremely heavy enemy b W se past fort. night and m back. ap- pcared tp@ De slss .Ihsg up their oi- fensive operations.
 Latest reports revealed that Jap. anese troops were retreating fxOn
 (Contiuued on Page q