Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-22
EDITORIAL PAGE of THE DETROIT TIMES
Massed Fleet
In Vital Area
Helps Japan
u. S. Forces Dispersed
Hence Trouble
BY PAUL MALLON

DN u ~ ~ 4hatA@A<OsN
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-The
w trouble at Guadalcanal has
been that the m ain Japanese
fleet was conferred in an area
just north Of there, whereas
ours was scattered around the
world.
The Japs. therefore have been
able to call upon an overWhelm-
ing force of naval power 10 con-
centrate on that one point any
time they chose. and we could
do nothing to balance IT.
Their naval strength available
for Summoning 10 that point
outclasSes ours probably two to
one.
Ashore. on that magnetized
fly speck in the far Pacific, the
opposing forces were apparently
about equal after the October
- Japanese landings Each side
presumably had something like
$1,000 men
THE final on G o m @ Of the
L struggle obviously depended
from the start, however, not
upon the land strength or upon
the ability Of either side 10
strengthen its forces but solely
upOn the extent to which the
Japanese would choose 10 use
their fleet.
With it, they might seize con-
troll Of the seas at any time and
isolate our resisting land force.
This is the reason why Navy
Secretary Knox and other Off
Gals have lately been viewing
the situation with open pes
Slmism.
The official communicates may
have been holding b ae X some
phases of the operation, but the
basic situation was enough to IN
Spire apprehenSionS.
The COmmunlqueS on this sub
iect. for the first time since the
war began. have been current
that is, dealing with day-to-day
action.
Formerly the navy had eS-
pouSed a policy Of silence dur
ing continuing operations and
waited until engagements were
concluded or longer before an
nouncing anything important
about them.
CONFLICTING announce @
~ mentS about our plane
operations Of the last week are
attributable 10 the huctuating
status of our all-important air
field on GuadalCanal Island
One day IL was announced
that no American planes had
been in the air for As hours; the
next days news recorded the
Overwhelmingly successful opcr-
ationS of American planes.
Obviously, the japanese had
been able to Obstruct our opera
tions from the airfield.
Their artillery and bomberS
could knock it out for day or
so, but our subsequent opera
tions from the field against
their ships reflected the ability
of the marines TO put it back TO
effective use.
The main big weapon we had
been able 10 swing against their
naval concentrations was our
land-baSed bombcrS. operating
not only from this field, but
also from distant New Caledonia
and the New Hebrides.
These operations, coupled with
hit-and-run mancuVering by our
cruisers and battleShipS in the
area. could, however, merely
serve notice on the JapS that
they would have TO come in
with a big portion of their main
battle neet-bigger than they
used before-tO accomplish the
objective at which they had
been pecking.
nRYS have not descended upon
~ Washington to promote ma
tional prohibition as they did in
the last war.
Congressional agitation which
YOU see IN the days news is
merely the result of local dry
activity out in some sections in
the country.
In many local option elections
this year, drys have shown re-
.newed strength
An autb orit ativn cbDnDutation