Evening star., 1942-02-11
Singapore Plight
Stresses Fact Japs'
Foes Are on Defensive
Must Continue Thot
Way Until Equipped,
Analyst Points Out
By DEWITT MACKENZIE,
Wide World War Analyst.

Wide World War Analyst.
The big question now would seem
to be. Where do we go from Singa-
porea"-not in any spirit of defeat
or despair, but with a grim determi-
nation to find the best and quickest
solution we can for problem which
we know we can handle in due
course.
The plight of this great British
base cries out for recognition of the
fact that the Allies are fighting
defensive war in the Pacific and
must continue on the defensive until
they can equip themselves to as
sumo the offensive. That being the
case, we must be prepared to stand
up under some further harsh blows
from the Japs before we are able to
check them.
Our own Gen. Macarthur and his
little band are in dire straits today
under increasing enemy pressure.
The fate Of the East Indies them
selves. so eagerly sought by Japan
for their rich resources, is on the
knees of the Gods.
All this makes bad reading and
Is matter of deepest concern, but
it is no occasion for despondence.
There is no possible gainsaying that
we have the sinews with which to
win this war. We need to remem-
ber that 1t is almost two years since
the British evacuation from the
bloody sands of DunkerqQe and the
collapse of France-and the Allies
are far stronger today than they
were then.
Campaign for Negotiated Peace.
SO impressive are the Japanese
winnings that an international
cartel of French and German in
dustrialists Is reported to be Or
eaninng a campaign for negotiated
peace between Germany and the
Allies on business grounds. The
argument is that the Nipponese ac-
QUESTION of territories rich in re-
sources. coupled with cheap labor.
will enable them to dominate world
markets If the western powers fight
to finish.
At first glance that does sound
like a powerful threat, especially
when we stop to consider the man.
ner in which Japan already has
been flooding the western world with
products produced by ar-slave la
Dor. Western civilization can't COM
pete against starvation wages.
However, if we pursue our analysis
OF the situation we soon discover
that there is joker in the pack.
We mustn't forget that the battle of
the Pacific, like it's counterpart in
Europe, is war of resources, coupled
with facilities for the transportation
Of those resources.
Resources without transportation
aren't of much value. In order to
profit by their brigandage the Japs
must be able to carry away the swag
to their own little island of the Ris-
ing Sun. Oil in the Indies won't
lubricate the machinery of Osaka,
and rubber in Malaga will absorb
no shocks for the backbones of
Toxic
U. s. Opens Supply Route.
This means that the Nipponese
must % maintain naval and air
control over the vast expanse of
waters surrounding their conquests,
and 20 possess great feet of cargo
ships to move the resources which
they have stolen. Japan in itself
has few resources of any kind, but
is almost wholly dependent on sea-
borne supplies.
And now just at this point in our
argument along comes our Admiral
Herbert F. Leary and lands the van
guard of United States naval force
at Wellington, New Zealand. This
is reported by Joseph C. Harsch,
correspondent of the Christian
Science Monitor of Boston. who ac-
companied the expedition across
the Pacific.
But that is only part of Mr..
Harsch's thrilling story He describes
the landing of American reinforce
ments at way stations along the
route" from Pearl Harbor In other
words, the United States has
achieved a victory which is cal
culated to ensure our supply route
to the Orient. Then we get the
kernel of the nut from Mr.. Harsch:
And the way is open for reinforce
ments and the vital weapons Of
war" -.. --'. I'd
Japs Face Raids on Conveys.
Now where does that take us?
Already the Japs have suffered
grievous naval losses as the result
of American and Dutch attacks.
Japan's not great merchant fleet also
has sacrificed lot of ships in the
two months of war
What the japanese are going to be
up against is growing attack
against their conveys in their long
lines OF communication by our sur
face and air fleets. AS we gain
strength, so will the JapS gather
knocks. And Japan cannot replace
her. losses or anything like it. with
her own resources She will be
dependent on running our steadily
increasing blockade.
We have a tough war ahead of
us in the Orient, but the loss of
Singapore or the Philippines would
not make the Japs the winners The
Allies certainly aren't negotiating
any peace on the strength of jap
aneSe successes.