Evening star., 1942-03-20
Australians Snipe
At Jap Columns
In New Guinea
Oy the Associated Press.

Gen. Douglas Macarthur dis
closed today that President
Roosevelt had ordered him to
organize an American offensive
against Japan for the primary
purpose" OF relieving the Philip
pines, while on the action front,
opening shots were fired in the
battle for lower New Guinea.
In his first interview since his
spectacular dash from siege-bound
Bataan Peninsula, Gen. Macarthur
declared:
The President of the United
States ordered me to break through
the Japanese lines and proceed from
Corregidor to Australia for the pur-
pose, as I understand it. of organiz-
ing an American offensive against
Japan.
The primary purpose of this is
the relief of the Philippines. came
through and I will return
Thus, in crisp terms, Gen. Mac
Arthur served notice on Japan that
the long weeks of Allied defensive
hghting-the disheartening retreats
in Malaga and the Netherlands In
dies-may soon be ended.
What he says Is the truth" was
the pledge of Prime Minister John
Curtin of Australia, who announced
Gen. Macarthur would reach Can
berra Tuesday to confer with the
War Council I'VE will hold what we
have and will take back what we
lost"
Gen. MacArthur's gallant men
In the Philippines will find Aus
tralia and her allies advancing to-
ward them
Shipping at japanese.
Dispatches from embattled New
Guinea said Australian forces had
begun sniping at Japanese inva-
sion troops driving toward Port
Moresby, only 300 miles from the
Australian mainland.
There Australian snipers-some
OF them Minute Men" drafted from
the civilian population-opened fire
on Nazi directed Japanese column
seeking to push up the Markham
River Valley to gain its many fine
airports for intensified attacks on
Port Moresby.
The Berlin radio relayed Toxic
reports that the Japanese were
within 200 miles northwest of Port
Moresby without opposition" That
would place the invaders about 10
miles up the valley from the coast
town of Lac, one Of their original
beachheads.
Correspondents at Port Moresby
wrote that the japanese had crossed
only the first and easiest part of the
Markham Valley and still faced
miles of malarial swamps, jungles
and mountain ranges rising to a
height of $4,000 feet
They saw the primary enemy aim
as seizure of air fields to enable
them to disperse their own aircraft
in the face of intensified battering
by the Allies.
Port Moresby Raided Again.
Japanese warplanes twice raided
Port Moresby again today. but were
driven OF after strafing the air
drome.
Port Moresby was attacked first
by four fighter planes which raked
the airdrome with machine-gun and
cannon fire, and later by lone
bomber which let loose one stick of
bombs. Neither raid caused damage
or casualties.
A British broadcast heard by c.
B. S. said today that Allied bomb
ers have again raided Koepang,"
capital of Japanese-occupied Dutch
Timor One of the raiding planes
was reported missing.
From Melbourne came the en-
couraging news that the United Ma
tions forces already manning battle
stations have been reinforced by
new detachments Of United States
airmen who escaped from Java and
British and Australians from Singa-
pore.
Many of these refugees from
tropical battlefronts found them
selves somewhat underclad for Mel
mourne's stif1 breezes off the Tas-
man Sea and shivered in their
shorts and sports shirts until they
managed to borrow or buy top
coats.
Activity Near Bases.
Extensive japanese activity in the
vicinity of Salamaua and Lac on
the east coast of New Guinea was
announced in a communique by
Prime Minister Curtin.
Mention Of Japanese activity
(See AUSTRALIA, Page A-3)