The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1943-04-05
. LIGHT
ls0usrdie Commission
Looks Like Italy
Observers Speculate
On Second Front
Catching Up With
jap Fighter Schedule
BY RAY TUCkER

orlNe hommel into the sea. they
do not intend to repeat the mis-
take Hitler committed after the
disaster at Dunkirk. Allied gen
erals have always regarded his
failure TO follow up that victory
as the greatest strategic blunder
he has made.
The Ang1o-American high COM
mand is making behind-the-scenes
preparations 10 launch an attack
1.-THE locale OF which cannot be
resealed) against the continent as
soon as 1t has destroyed axis forces
In North Africa.
Far behind the lines Of present
hghting IT is mobilizing men,
planes, ground weapons and sup
plies for a push across the Medi-
terranean. With retreating Ger
mans and Italians scrambling up
the slopes of French or italian
shores tif they ever get so far
under the terrific air strafine they
will suffer-. il is believed that
defensive units and centers will be
thrown into confusion Then Is
the time we hope TO strike swift
ly and effectively.
Despite silence a. to spe-
cific landing places, the la
Guardia appointment suggests
ii Duce's discouraged country
will figure in all blueprints of
the contemplated invasion. BY
that time II Is probable that
New York's mayor will he
lieutenant general, and he will
approach his ancestral lares
and penates as the only Ro-
man descendant who has en-
joyed such high civilian and
military honors in the United
States.
Fiorello, with the assistance Of
Generals Eisenhower. Montgomery
and Alexander, will be a modern
Mazzini.
The myth of Japanese mill
tary power. created amid the
Oriental secrecy prevailing
after Pearl Harbor and the
Malayan campaign, has been
dispelled. While our experts
do not underrate the enemy's
strength, they have a more
realistic conception from an
examination of captured weap-
ons and prisoners.
In the series of British retreats.
the seizure of the Dutch East
Indies and the sinkings of the Re-
pulse and the Prince of Wales.
British and American observers
switched from earlier beliefs that
the Nips were mere imitators to
the conviction that they were in
novators. The Zero was lauded as
a wonder plane. Their rs caliber
rifle was regarded as ideally de-
vised for enabling a foeman to
carry more ammunition in jungle
fighting. Their strategists were
ranked as minor Napoleons; their
soldiers as particularly hardy and
resourceful.
Closer study. according to
our ordnance manufacturers,
shows that not a single air,
infantry or artillery piece is
worth copying, because each
Is only a copy itself. The
famous rs had some merits,
but IL would not repulse
we'll planned American as
sault. Tokyo Is now replacing
II with a heavier shooting iron
not quite so good a. our
Springfield and far below the
standard of our Garand.
Their light machine guns have
neither range nor hitting power.
They are inferior patterns OF
French and United States makes.
Heavier types resemble our so
caliber Browning, but they are
made Of such poor steel that they
will not stand up under hard use.
Their grenades, mortars and light
tanks are revealed as shoddy, sec
ond-rate materiel. Their motor
tied equipment is based on French
designs of the middle twenties.
The zero's frail construction and
lack Of armament give il as
founding msneuverability. but it
frequently falls apart from a sin
gle well placed machine gun
burst.
Japan's three great ad-
vantages in the initial stages
were the element of surprise.
our unpreparedness and her
own shorter supply lines. But
once we achieve the admit
teddy difficult mission Of COM
ing 10 close quarters with
HirOhito'S troops on a show
down scale, their ultimate de-
struction becomes only 3 ques-
ton Of time.
Chester c. Davis first task SIS
food administrator will be 10 diSi-
pate the confusion regarding food
prospects which his predecessors
created. General uncertainty to-
day derives chiefly from rosy
promises and conflicting state
ments that have been made since
the outbreak OF the war in Europe.
With the possible exception Of
msnpower, the facts Of no other
vital problem have been Withheld
50 completely from the people.
With scarcities looming In 50