Evening star., 1942-05-15
Jap Advantage Wanes
With Line Extension,
British Officer Says
Veteran Tells W. & M.
Alumni Of War Strain
In Desert and Jungle

Tribulations of the white soldier
In Arctic cold, Libyan standstorm
and tropical jungle were described
by 1t. Col. A. E. M. Walter of the
British Royal Engineers here last
night.
Addressing the annual dinner
meeting of the Washington Alumni
Club of the College of William and
Mary at the Hamilton Hotel, Col,
Walter predicted the japanese ad-
vance would slow up, due to length
ening of communication lines.
The Japs sa far have had a
striking advantage against the white
man, due to shipping distances and
tonnage available to the Allied Ma
tions," Col. Walter said. But the
japanese, too, are long way from
their main supply base when they
near Australia. That is why they
took risks in the Coral Sea naval
engagement. If the Japs cut the
American supply lines to Australia,
Australia will die"
Based on his own experiences and
observations in Finland, Norway.
Libya and the Far East, Col. Walter
said freezing weather and desert
sandstorms can be endured by the
white man better than tropical
jungle warfare.
Food Needs Far Greater.
"The white soldier requires from
three to five pounds of food per
day" the speaker said, but the Jap
can live off a pound of rice. The
white mans water in jungles must
be purified; the Japs. Indians and
Chinese can drink it without getting
typhus or malaria. The white man
requires mosquito net; apparently
mosquito dies by biting Jap,
Indian or Chinese Thus far the
Japanese have had these natural
advantages in addition to having
been prepared for the Far East kick
of But their advance has been
slowed up and will continue to be
slowed up"
Discussing the severity of desert
sandstorms, Col. Walter said British
soldiers during these storms con-
veyed food to the mouth under their
gasmasks. While the sand does not
bother the lungs greatly. it produces
sores. I'm a sand fog you can't see
the sun but it still is hot, adding to
q soldiers discomfort" he stated.
When the British army evacuated
Dunkerque, Col. Walter said, 300 900
troops were saved because every
Englishman who could sail a boat
went across the Channel to rescue
his own people from the beaches" !"
adding that this heroic feat was
made possible because the R. A. F..
achieved air superiority, putting up
a protective umbrella.
Allies Catching Up"
To wage war successfully, bel
ligerent must have the means of
making war, must be able to trans
port modern weapons to the front,
and must have the wits to use them
intelligently, the speaker said. The
Allied Nations were not prepared
for the war, but they are catching
up and they have both the intelli-
gence and the will to achieve final
victory, he said.
Referring by implication to great
er utilization of the vast Chinese
army, Col Walter said it seems that
more yellow men used against the
Japanese will reap rewards" Put
ting the weapons of war in the
hands of the Chinese Is a consum-
nation devoutly to be wished, he
stated.
President Rolfe Kennard, who
presided, appointed a nominating
committee to report slate Of Of
ficers at the first fall meeting. ST.
George Walker Of the British En-
bassy staff, a cousin of DR.. John
Stewart Bryan, president Of Will
liam and Mary, also was guest.
Motion pictures Of the London air
blitz and films showing British
minelayers in operation were ex-
hibited.