The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-01-23
Churchill Also Sent
Appeal By Australia

sEa the gDse5IsnenL ssid there ssk
IcL definite nofc regarding aiIs,si
t.Hg " u.h enemy Eut csfeIst
preparations Lad been mace be La
- possible ~ the outlying territory
and ON isls said u Was presumed
tEst defense seton Yss automatic.
There MSS no definite word from
he fgiiiIf U14e, however, anG War
Minister " M ForGe esic tIst TIE
Eiets landing was the only one on
which b definite official report L6G
been received Eieta IL ~ The Bis
nsrsk Archipelago, shout 700 miles
tran habaul, on New Britain Island
rig fleets III japanese planes
ranged over the entire island group
northeast III Australia AMI D. Meet
~ three Japanese cruisers, three Ge-
.Joyejs bnd I'VE troop transports
WAS st@aHiiIe same where an the
ElsH6icks III 6dGition " three sif-
qtstt carriers from which faiGing
planes tGok an
A. wireless fash from Gasiusts
On the south COAST III New Guinea
reported CLOUD" III Japanese ain
craft heading westward LoWsTG Aus
tJaIis this uDjfIling
radio sis lions On Lle New Guinea
coast went silent as Japanese air
planes passed
Landed At Hsbaai
Early government reports ulGlr
osteG that japanese troops had most
ppobably been lsilGed al Habaul
Chief town of tie EisIn6rcks, but
later tstenleuts said that The re-
ports had moi been confirmed,
~ YVES known that 800 women
and children had been evacuated
from dsDaul by plane IN expects,-
tion ot d Japanese lanilHg
Chiefs of all three fighting seIy-
Ices, army, navy and sir force, at
fenced az emergency meeting ot The
cabinet
II Was after THIS meeting that the
government sent urgent message
10 President Roosevelt RAd Prime
Minister Churchill appealing Tor
immediate IeintoreemeHts faf lie
entire southwestern Pacific name
Deputy Prime Minister r.. M.
FMde, Who is also Wsf minister,
said II was quite clear that the
Japanese intended " secure EAses
ifam which 10 strike st Australia
All cabinet ministers lemsiEed al
Melbourne after cailcellAe plans toI
Wees cid travel
HaksW was regarded as the great
danger spot for lie moment be-
cause its me Hsrbof would give the
Japanese d. naval base IN aGaitiaA
10 an air base.
But the government feared land
hGs III LIE entire Triangular New
Guinea bismarck -soloHlans group
ana especially al Fort Moresby, on
he New Guinea coast only $50 miles
across an arm ot The Coral Sea from
Cape York, Australia
May tfit FjJi Islands
IL was believed possible also that
he Japanese might strike at The
FIJI Islands, 800 miles east Of Aus
tislla ailo 100 miles north III New
Zealand, aud that they might strike
direct at The Australian continent
government leaders issued warn
ines 10 the people that they must
realize The gravity OF the situation
snd be ready 10 defend their counz
uy
Reports nj tlie landings in tie
Island groups northeast III Aus
uhila were announced IN Joint
ooiHnl'HlgIes by War Minister
foide and All Minister Arthur Is.
Diaket0fd. In behalf OF lie army
ana air force,
Government leaders urgently sped
defense plans In the belief Chat
The japanese sought Ia establish
bases 9ft the northeast coast 10
strike fist by air and then direct
al Australia
Japanese invasion forces had been
expected u strike first al the north
east coast al New Guinea al d
point between 400 ana 500 miles
ffonl Cape York which is The north
east corner u Australia The Solo
Hi1H Islands lie between 600 ana
800 niles east 0f New Guinea.