Evening star., 1942-02-24
Governor RaI|ying
Defenders Of Java
Near Zero Hour
Allied Forces Are Told
To Fight With Faith
And Iron VIII
By the Associated Press.

HIIO 1IVtI W.
By the Associated Press.
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies,
Feb. 24.-Urged by the Governor
General of the Netherlands In
dies to face the foe with faith
and an iron WILL" the Allied de-
tenders of Java neared the zero
hour today in the battle for this
last bulwark blocking the Japa-
neSe from the vital United Ma
tions supply lines in the Indian
Ocean.
There was no new official word on
the situation in Southern Sumatra
and in Bali, where the invaders
have wrested their latest footholds
directly west and east of this island
citadel in the face of stubborn op-
position from outnumbered defense
forces.
Fresh Aerial Blows.
A brief Indies high command
communique reported only fresh
aerial blows at Java, the heaviest
OF which was aimed at military OBJ
jectives around Bandoeng, Dutch
Army headquarters.
Three low-fying formations of
enemy bombers, apparently without
fighter escort, were greeted by a
blasting barrage of anti-aircraft fire
from Dutch guns and new, British
made cannon which gave the Jap
anese an explosive welcome. At
least one bomber was shot down and
others were damaged.
But in the face of this intensive
fire the planes circled the city and
then, swooping even lower, machine
gunned various part of the town,
causing few casualties.
Aneta News Agency reported that
only light bombs were dropped, but
that damage was made to appear
more extensive because of thick
cloud of smoke from several oil
drums which caught fire.
THE only known fatility in the
raid was a rat found near a bomb
crater" said Aneta.
Batavia Has First Raid.
One other bomber was listed as
probably shot down last night
near Malang, in Eastern Java.
Batavia, the capital. was bombed
for the first time Sunday, it was
permitted to be disclosed today, but
little damage was done. Two pre-
vious raids on the Batavia area had
been directed mainly at outlying
airports.
Preparing for more serious at
tacks on the capital, the air raids
precaution service established
squads for dismantling unexploded
or time bombs and the authorities
began issuing Identification tags to
the inhabitants of the city.
Appeals for Reinforcements.
The Governor General, A. w. L.
Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stac-
houwer, reiterated an appeal for re-
Inducements, saying in broadcast
declaration that additions to our
equipment would still be welcome"
Stachouwer urged the men of the
Indies armed forces and civilians,
particularly in Java, to stand firm in
the hard fight that is ahead of U.s.
I'VE will fight with all the power
in u.s. he added
The representative of Queen Will
helmina in the Orient, whose FIVE
year term as head man of the East
Indies was extended indefinitely last
September because of the japanese
danger, told the beleaguered island
erS that there is on Java a strong
army with an air force and that the
Dutch feet fights on "the offensive
principle"
Discussing the impending attack
on Java, he said:
This time the enemy broadcast
ing stations speak the truth; the mo-
ment approaches when the all-out
attack will be launched on our main
island.
Face Operations With Faith.
1.-THE situation in Java is entirely
different from that in the outer
provinces. Putting a strongly SUI
perior force up against the Dutch
forces on Java will be much more
difficult.
I'VE face the coming military op-
erations with faith and an iron will.
Beating off the enemy, holding out,
maintaining our positions, are con-
ceptions which have come to have
a pew sense of grimneSS, hitherto
unknown.
"A will for offensive operations
must be in us to push ahead every
time an opportunity offers"
The Dutch announced yesterday
that the Japanese had overrun part
of Bali, to the east of Java, occupy
ing the airport of Denpasar, on the
southeastern part of the island only
10 miles from the nearest point III
Java.
To the west of Java, on Sumatra,
the Dutch and their Allies are fight
ing delaying actions against the
japanese, it was reported.
48 Jap Planes Destroyed
Since Jan. I, Army Says
The score of American warplanes
fighting in the Netherlands Indies
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