Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-08
Australia Asks Why

A USTRALIA has begun its fight for life with plenty
"A of heart and will for the task but with considerably
less muscle.
In other words Australia must make the best fight
it can with the inadequate fighting equipment available
The Australians themselves are optimistic about this
situation, and also somewhat bitter.
They are optimistic because of the steady incoming
stream of American materials and manpower and because
of the inspiration and confidence induced by the arrival
Of General Macarthur.
They are bitter because the British Empire, of which
they are part and desperately endangered part,
has mis- Judged and msmanaged them into this precarous
position.
PROBABLY the Australians understand, without
accepting the belief of the British government in
London that the Europe is the real war and that
the war in the Pacific should be conducted crumbs
from the table, basis
But they cannot understand why Canada, which in
addition to being British dominion is fully much a
Pacific area as Australia has persisted in sending the
bulk of its substantial production to other areas
where its own danger remote and only fragments to
Australia where its peril is near and real.
Canada has been producing materials vast
scale the start of the and these materials
had supplemented Australians sparse equipment the pres
ent situation would be vastly improved.
But the Sydney Daily Telegraph buntly and gnmy
remembers with Japanese invasion hordes shore that
81 times more Canadian production has gone to Britain
than to Australia.
GYPT says the Telegraph has received 10 times more
Z arms from Canada than has Australia, and 10 times
more materials of all kinds.
India Russia, Iraq and other areas have received
considerably than Australia.
whoever is responsible for the ALLEGATION of Canadas
war output" concludes the Telegraph has lost his sense
of values
australians simply won't understand why Pacific
country and sister dominion should be sending 10 times
materials to Egypt than to Australia
"You would imagine that Canada would put first
things first.
THE United States is Fundamentally committed to
making Australia a major base for operations against
Japan She doing because she knows the west coast
of America would be wide open to attack Australia FELL
"The west coast MEANS CANADA. Australians de-
feat would the end of the British Empire in the
Pacific That is why Canadas export figures for Febru-
airy don't make sense
THE whole accusing policy Of diversion which has
brought thes Japanese to the shores Of Australia is
thus graphically outlined.
But since nothing be done about the past except
to learn from it. the only present point to Australas
complaint is the emphasis it puts remaining opportun
ties for repairing mistakes.
American production is than sufficient for the
work of repair but America too has been pursuing
policy of diversion and dispersion and is still doing So
although with growing realization of folly and danger
NATIONS like the United States and Canada, with
! ' vulnerable western Shores should have FACED
westward long ago. and doing at the greater
which is the penalty of delay ndecson and nacton
There must be encouragement about Australia.
1t must and will be defended successfully.
The long and bitter road of retreat and defeat has
led to there
The only road BACK leads from there.
But the proof of lessons learned is in things DONE
and it is what doing and will continue to do
until the evil tide of invasion and aggression is turned
that will set the day for and the final price of
our ultimate and inevitable victory.
TupEE DOTS AND A DASH For VICTORY