The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-08

which could not possibly ha'
 means.
 In a tribute to President RooSe-
 relt's gigantic arms program, he
 ldded:
 Tt shows that the full power oi American industry is going into the American war effort
 These statements were made inn mediately after a statement by a spokesman in high quarters who irl an astonishingly frank criticism of the entire British defense in Malaya said of Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke Popham, recently replaced as commander in chief:
 Called NincompOOp
 The only comfort I have. and l do not apologize for my language, is that I am glad nincompoop of that kind was promptly replaced by Gen. eral Sir Archibald Wavell."
 Of the position in Malaga, the official spokesman said the British Empire forces had now withdrawn to a line about 50 miles north of Kuala Lampur, or 26O miles north of Singapore.
 Discussing the Washington con- ference, the official spokesman re- vealed that one of the main topics discussed by the President and Prime Minister Churchill was the appointment of a supreme war coun- Cil.
 He said he was unable to amplify his statement in the absence of MT. Churchill.
 The official spokesman an nounced, regarding the Washington agreement for unified Allied con- mand in the Pacific, that the con- mand of General Wavell, the Allied generalissimo on land, did not in clude Australia or India.
 Roughly speaking, he explained, Wavell'S command covered Burma, excluded French InGo-China and then extended to north of the Philippines, thence down to a line drawn to the north coast of Aus tralia and swept round the islands ll lilc MdIdy hlCllAI)tidSO.
 "The entry Of the United States 10 the war demanded that as quick y as possible and as authorltatively as possible, plans should be con- 2erted to bring the greatest possi- ble coordination into the efforts of the TWO great democracies on either side of the Atlantic" he said.
 It was then that he made his statement that the visit of MT Churchill, Lord Beaverbrook, supply minister, and chiefs of the fighting services to Washington had resulted in such encouraging unity.
 H3 emphasized that the com- manis established in the Far East were a considerable achievement in connection with Britain'S war ef- fort.
 Excuse for Britain
 Citing reasons why British posi- tiona ill the Far East were less strongly garrisoned and equipped than could be wished, he emphasiz- ed that it was not due to lack of but to the fact that it was beyond Britain's resources to be strong everywhere.
 Even if we had increased our to the utmost, we can not produce enough arms at present for the Far East to equal the forces of a great military power like Japan," he said.
 The commands established in the Far East were a considerable achievement in connection with Bri- tain's war effort, he said.
 Turning to Russia, he said the Russian offensive was progressing steadily.
 Both in the air and on land over wide sectors of the front the initia- tive has definitely passed to Rus sia," he said There has been complete upset of Hitler's plan, which could never have contem- plated that the German armies would have to spend the winter out n the open"
 Discussing Libya, he said the Brit 'sh forces were now operating 600 niles from their starting point.
 Gen. Erwin Rommel (the Ger man commander in chieG has now his forces at Ageda- oia and heavy tank battles are now taking place." he said. This is south of Benghazi.
 Enemy forces in the Halfaya- 5ollum area Con the Egyptian from tier) are being closely invested"
 Strain on Navy
 Though Britain's shipping losses continued to decline, he said, it would be d grave mistake not to realize the strain that the exten- sion of the war to the Far East had put on the navy and merchant marine.
 He said, in answering a criticism that the fighting services had not made proper arrangements at any time to defend their air fields, that the Royal Air Force, as agent for the army, would undertake local defense arrangements for it's air. iromes
 He said a corps of airdrome de- Tense troops under control of the air council would be formed for this purpose.
 A director general of ground de- fense of the air ministry has been appointed, he announced
 He added that the Royal Air Force, naval and aircraft production ministry airdromes would be de- 'ended by this special scheme"
 He revealed that since the Jap aneSe had entered the war British had been sent to the Far East.
 He paid tribute to the defenders of Hong Kong, who held up impor- ant enemy forces, inf14cting heavy osses on them and setting a very line example of courage and tenac- ty against heavy odds"
 Unfair to Blame Some
 It was quite unfair, he said, to blame commanders on the spot for he situation in the Far East
 Britain has not as strong forces ,n land, at sea and in the air as it