Evening star., 1943-05-19

OF the enemy In this air war by
which both Germany and Japan
fondly imagined they would strike
decisive and fnal blows, terrorize
nations great and small into sub
mission to their will
In this air war it is that these
guilty nations have already begun
to show their first real mortal weak
ness. The more continuous and Sc
we're the air fighting becomes the
better for us because We can already
replace them on a scale which IN
creases month by month.
Progress in this sphere is swift
and sure, but it must be remembered
that the preparation and develop
ment OF airfields and the movem ent
of the great masses Of ground per-
sonnel on whom the efficiency of
modern air squadrons depends how
ever earnestly pressed forward, is
bound to take time.
Opinion, Mr.. President, is divided
as to whether the use OF air power
could by itself bring about the COL
lapse in Germany or Italy. The
experiment is we'll worth trying so
long as other measures are not ex-
cluded.
Unparalled Devastation
Being Rained on Germany.
Well, there is certainly no harm in
finding out. But. however, that may
be. we are all agreed that the dam
age done to the enemy's war po-
tential Is enormous.
The condition to which the great
centers of German war industry,
and particularly the Ruhr. are being
reduced is one OF unparalleled dew
astation. You have just read OF the
destruction of the great dams which
feed the canal and provide power to
the enemy munitions works. That
was gallant operation costing 8
out of the 10 Lancaster bombers
employed, but it will play very far
reaching part in German NUM-
tions output.
1t is our settled policy, the settled
policy of our two vast war-making
authorities, to make it impossible
for Germany to carry on any form
of war industry on large or con-
centrated scale either in Germany,
In Italy or in the enemy-occupied
countries. Wherever these NUM-
tions centers exist or are developed
they will be destroyd and the popu-
lations will be dispersed.
II they don't like what is coming
/ 10 lat L.
forehand on their own. And this
process will continue ceaselessly,
with ever increasing weight and in
tensity, until the German and
Italian people abandon or destroy
the monstrous tyrannies which they
have incubated and reared in their
midst.
Forcing Germany Back
From Fighting Front.
Meanwhile our air offensive Is
forcing Germany to withdraw an
ever larger portion of its war
making capacity from the fighting
front. In order to provide protec-
ton against the air attacks, hum
dreds OF fighter aircraft. thousands
| OF anti-aircraft guns and many
hundreds of thousands of men, to-
gether with vast share Of the out
put of the war factories, have al
ready been assigned to this purely
defensive function.
| All this is at the expense OF the
enemy's power Of new aggression or
of the enemy's power to resume the
initiative. Surveying the whole
aspect Of the air war we cannot
doubt that it is 4 major factor in
the process Of victory That, think,
is established as a solid fact.
1t Is all agreed between us that
we should at the earliest moment
similarly bring our joint air power
to bear upon the military targets
in the homelands of Japan. The
cold-blooded execution of United
States airmen by the Japanese gov
eminent is a proof not only of the
barbarism but of the dread in which
they regard this possibility.
Will Reduce Jap Cities
And Factories to Ashes.
1t is the duty of those who are
charged with the direction of the
war to overcome at the earliest
moment the military. geographical
and political dificulties and begin
the process so necessary and de-
sirable of laying the cities and other
munitions centers Of Japan in ashes.
For in ashes they must surely lie
before peace comes back to the
world.
That this objective holds a high
place in the present conference is
obvious to thinking men. But no