Evening star., 1942-01-05
Singapore Confidence
In Possibilities Of
Defense Mounts
British Forced to Fall
Back Yesterday From
Positions Below Ipoh

POSITIONS Below Ipoh
BY the Associated Press.
SINGAPORE, Jan. 5.-Confdence
Is mounting in the long-range pos
sibilities of defense of Singapore
despite a new retreat yesterday
which forced the British to fall back
from their positions below Ipoh on
the west side of the Malayan Penin-
sula.
This confidence, which is evident
despite the fact the British have
been forced to yield approximately
200 miles of the peninsula in little
less than a month of fighting,
springs largely from the appoint
ment of Far Eastern command
of the United Forces under Gen.
Sir Archibald P. Waven
Civilians, as we'll as men in the
military and naval services, believed
that his prompt reinforcement Of
Burma's defenses and his negotia-
tions with Generalissimo Chang
Kai-shek which resulted in veteran
Chinese troops crossing into Burma.
meant that Gen. Wavell already
Is very much on the job co-ordlnat-
ing the activities of a vast theater
of war.
Brett Appointment O.K.'d.
, High quarters. too. approved the
appointment of Maj. Gen. George
H Brett. chief of the United States
Army Air Corps, as deputy supreme
commander. They believed it i'm
piled American concentration on
providing powerful air reinforce
ments. in order to solve one of the
key difficulties of the Allied posi-
ton. In this connection Gen.
Brett's energetic work in helping
build up British air forces in Africa
and the Near East was recalled.
Allied confidence also springs
from the fact that although the
British have had to carry out a
series of retreats they have not yet
lost a decisive battle or lost any
major part of their force by en-
circlement.
On the other hand. the month Of
warfare has seasoned the soldiers in
japanese methods and tricks. and
given Washington and London. as
well as the generals in the field. an
opportunity to decide on broad
strategy.
The Singapore correspondent
of the Melbourne Herald. in an
Australian broadcast heard by
c. B. S. in New York. said "the
coming of Allied naval reinforce
ments" would compel Japan to
take careful measures to safe
guard her ocean supply lines now
spread along a 12,0O0-mile front.
Even limited offensive by Brit
ish. Indian and Chinese forces in
Burma would be strong threat
to the Japanese flank. he said
IN. B. C's broadcast from Bata-
via. Sydney Albright. warned
that the japanese may attempt
an extension of their invasion
of Borreo especially toward the
Tarakan Oil fields. as a 1anking
movement against Singapore
"A maximum penalty OF death
for crimes such as robbery dur
ing blackouts and AFRAID alarms
has been announced by the
Dutch. he said A re-examina-
ton of men exempted from mill
e. tary service because of their
vital civilian duties has been
ordered to increase the fighting
forces, he added
Japs Increase Pressure.
Observers at the front said the
Japanese increased their pressure
Yesterday by using numerically SUI
perior ground forces backed by
heavier artillery and strong avia-
ton.
Japan's nightly raids on Singa-
pore have caused little military
damage. few civilian casualties and
practically no disruption Of essen
tial services.
Announcement that the battlelines
had inched nearer to Singapore dur
ing the week end conceded with dis
ouieting news that the japanese had
gained ground in their efforts to
win control of Borneo by ef1ecting
a landing at Weston on the north
west coast.
Weston, in British North Borneo,
Is about ITO miles north of Miri,
Sarawak. the British protected do
main of the white Rajah Sir Charles
Vyner Brooke. where the japanese
first gained foothold on the island
December II. Since then they have
captured Kuching, capital of Sara
wax.
japanese in South Perak.
The communique disclosing the
British withdrawal in Northwestern
Malaga failed to say where the new
imperial defense lines had been es-
tablished, though it mentioned some
japanese patrol activity in southern
Perak state, the border of which at
one point is only 240 miles from
Singapore.
The previous line had been estab-
lished behind the Perak River, which
enters Malacca Strait about 280
miles from this vital naval base.
The British said the japanese had
paid a heavy toll of casualties as the
price of their advance.
Further japanese activity off the
west coast of Malaga, where the in
vaders previously had attempted to
land behind the British lines, was
reported during the week end. Brit
ish planes heavily attacked Japa-
nese boats along the coast, COM
munique said, but poor visibility
made the results uncertain.
CThe Toxic radio claimed that
the conquest of Perak state al
ready was complete and that
japanese forces, pushing on
southwark, were within sight of
the "strategically important Sec
ond city of Malaga" a"-presum-
ably Kuala Lumpur, which is the
capital of Selangor and only 200
miles from Singapore.
tThe Japanese also reported
that their troops had wiped out
the oreat for parts of thc 9TH Ans