Evening star., 1942-04-26
Confusion Over MucArthurs Command Ended
He Now Can Devote Full Time to Strategy

anu the type IOI Admiral GnOfmley.
The japanese captured a foothold
on the Island of New Guinea as
striking point against Australia
New Guinea is part of Gen. Mac
Arthur's potential command area.
The japanese captured a part of
the Solomon Islands, next to New
Guinea, In order to have q base for
harrying supply lines to Australia.
The Solomons are within Admiral
Ghormley's potential command area.
The task of Admiral Layton and
Admiral Helfrich to the west of Gen
Macarthur is similar to the task of
Admiral Ghormley to the east of
Gen. Neutrality-suspicious. and pro-
lection of supply lines. Admiral
Layton and Admiral Helfrich have
the job of keeping the Japanese
from getting too strong a foothold
in the Indian Ocean 1t is up to
them to protect the coasts of India,
to keep Ceylon out of japanese
hands and to preserve the neutrality
of Madagascar. 1t is up to them to
see that the merchant ships bound
for the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf
and India get through with Allied
supplies.
Gen. Macarthur is establishing
liaison arrangement with Admiral
Ghormley He already has such an
arrangement with Admiral Layton
and Admiral Helfrich, through
Comdr. Salm of the Dutch Navy,
who is on the staff of Admiral
Leary. The Dutch officers on the
staff of Gen. Macarthur are 1t Col
Santberg and Capts. Coppens and
Devries.
These inter-relations make it
clear that what happens in Aus
tralia has a meaning for what hap
pens in the Indian Ocean, that what
happens in the broad Pacific inf1u-
erces events in the Indies. that it
is impossible to disconnect events in
the Tasman Sea from events in the
China Sea, events in Burma from
events in Central China, and even
events in the East from events in
Europe and Africa. All these close
connections make difficult the busi-
ness of defining areas of command.
The final deciders in all problems
are men in Washington-the Com
bined Chiefs of Staff Committee
and the Pacific War Council.
When the cards are down, there
is quick adjustment for co-opera-'
ton in the battle areas. During
the Japanese drive through Malaga,
Admiral Helfrich in the Indies sent
some of his vessels to Singapore to
cooperate with Admiral Layton,
whose base then was at that port,
The commander of this force,
Comdr A j. Bussemaker, was killed
in action in Malay waters. King
George vi of England awarded him
posthumously the Distinguished
Service Order, and Queen Wilhel-
nina awarded him the Militaire
Willemsorde.
The Chiefs of Staff Committee
now is easily accessible to accred-
tied military and naval spokesuen
of all the United Nations govern
ments. but until recently 1t was a
tight glo-American unit. For in
stance, the transfer of Gen. Mac
Arthur from the Philippines was
ordered after consultation among
the United States. Great Britain
and Australia, without its being
known at first even to the Dutch,
who had a vial interest in develop
ments.
While LII. Gen. George Brett was
still the highest commander in Aus
tralia. the Dutch suggested that
their forces which had escaped from
the Indies be put under Gen. Brett's
command. When Gen Macarthur
superseded Gen. Brett. the Dutch
asked that their forces in the Aus
trala region be put under Gen.
MacArthur's command and that the
Dutch be represented on MacAr-
thurs staff.