Evening star., 1942-03-08
Lease-Lend Mission
Sent 10 Australia
To Rush Production
New Allied Policy Aims
At ArsenuIs Close
To Possible Fronts
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

f~~ON~~>N-~~~
tanks, guns and tires for mecha-
nized operations, a special lease
lend mission has been sent from
the United States to Australia,
where, according to a Melbourne
dispatch, the Allies expect to launch
an offensive against Japan.
The mission to Australia, like the
previously announced mission to In
dia, reflects the new United Nations
policy of girding for victory by dis
tributing the arsenals of war in CEN
ters close to raw materials sources
and close to possible fronts.
This policy is aimed at enlisting
the full industrial potentialities of
all the Allies and reduces the de-
mand for shipping space from the
United States. The gap between
shipping space and shipping de-
mands daily grows wider.
S. NJ. Wasserman and Alden
Smith of the Lease-Lend Admins
tration are in charge of the mission
to Australia. They are also to visit
New Zealand. 1t is reported that
Henry Grady, former Assistant Sec
retary of State, is heading the mis-
sion to India. An American mining
engineer already is in South Africa,
another Allied raw materials center,
for conferences on increasing the
South African output of essential
metals.
Long Term Plans Mapped.
The dispatch of these various
groups to different points in the
Indian Ocean region is taken here
to indicate that a turning point
may be near in the Far Eastern
war. Careful plans for long-term
warfare in Australia and India are
now being laid here and in London
after three months of continuous
reverses which came so quickly that
the Allied defenders were never able
to organize a real resistance.
Coincidentally with these recent
indications that shift to offensive
strategy is in the making. Presi-
dent Roosevelt called his ranking
war advisers to the White House
yesterday for their second confer
ence in three days.
Summoned for the meeting were
Secretary of War Stimson. Secre-
tary of Navy Knox. Gen. George G.
Marshall. Army chief of staff 1t.
Gen. Henry H. Arnold. deputy chief
of staff for air: Admiral Ernest J.
King, commander in chief of the
United States Fleet. and Admiral
Harold R. Stark, chief of naval op-
erations.
Yesterdays council lasted nearly
two hours. On Thursday the Presi-
dent met with the same group and
later called in for a joint meeting
the British staff officers stationed
here.
Next Jap Move in Doubt.
Yesterdays warm weather was
soothing reminder to Washington
that spring and new campaigns both
in the Far East and in Europe are
but a short distance away in time.
It is still debated whether the Jap
anese intend next to launch assaults
at both Australia and India or only
against India.
Walter Nash, the New Zealand
Minister, said in a talk here yester-
day that New Zealand, to the east
of Australia and far from the scenes
of japanese conquest, ''is concerned
about Japan's future intentions but
not dismayed." He added:
I'VE realize that the invasion OF
New Zealand would be a diff
cult and risky operation. but New
Zealand would be prize worth
taking. New Zealand is ready for
any emergency. but it needs all
the help the United States can give
in the way of airplanes, tanks. anti
aircraft and fighting equipment"
Mr.. Nash said that in his coun-
try 100000 men and women are or
ganized for war service.
AS for the Germans. high Brit
tsh sources report that the Nazis
plan to announce the springs ar
rival by arranging an incident in
Turkey which would give Berlin an
excuse for demanding the privi-
lege Of acting as Turkeys pro-
tector."
Allies Count on Turkey.
In the Axis lexicon that word is
but a sinile for unobstructed in
vader. High Allied representatives
are inclined to think that Turkey
will reject the German demand,
align itself with the Allied cause
and invite the Allied forces to
enter Turkey to implement the re-
sistance to Germany.
Turkeys attraction for Germany
lies principally in the fact that it
Is on the road to the Mosul and
Persian oil fields. Diplomatic ad-
vices reaching Washington stress
repeatedly that Germany's oil prob
lem is growing critical. The second
ary attraction of Turkey is that it
is on the road to India, where
German junction with Japan could
occur.
Some observers. however. doubt If
Germany wants a junction with
Japanese armies. The prospect OF
serious German-Japanese clash Is
considered always a possibility If the
two powers are triumphant over
their immediate opponents.
Allied generals confidently rule
out the possibility of a German
japanese junction on the ground
that Japan will be unsuccessful in
an attack against India. The pros
pective move Of the fighting in the
Far East from islands and indefensi-
BILE peninsulas to great land masses
like India and Australia encourages
the political and military represent
atives of the United Nations here to
think the war with Japan is enter
ing a new phase.
Vast Equipment Promised.
The leaSe-lend program for the
next 10 months contemplates send
ing to the Allies in the Far East
vast quantities of trucks. road
building machinery. locomotives,
tracks, railroad ties and other equip
ment to improve the transportation
facilities behind the expected new
fronts in India and Australia.
The lease-lend men have found
that by supplying sulphur and tire