The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-03
SOLOMONlS BATTLE
 A FEELER'-KNOX
(Continued from Page J

(Continued from Page D creased air activity by both the Americans and Japanese in the last few days and i've can assume that the American commanders are very much on the alert"
 Discussing his visit to Guadal- canal, keystone of American de. fense positions in the Solomons, Knox said that he was surprised ct the small portion of the island in- volved as the theater of operations. He said 1t comprised only two and one half per cent of the area, with the Americans occupying two per cent and the Japanese @ half Of one per cent.
 He said that "substantially all organized resistance" by Japanese ground forces on the island had been cleaned up.
 There are just small pockets of resistance surrounded by American troops" he continued. some Of them are surrendering and a mum. Der gave themselves up while we were there"
 He said that the number of vol- untary surrenders by Japanese, who heretofore have been reported as fanatical fight to the death" men, has been greater than ever before.
 Those surrounded by American troops are In g hopeless position" he continued. "They can't get any ammunition or supplies and their food is probably all exhausted"
 When reporter told Knox that the Australians feel that he is more optimistic than the situation in the South Pacific warrants, Knox grinned and remarked:
 "sorry to disappoint them.
 T think that my estimate of the situation on Guadalcanal IS better than that of some anonymous Aus. tralians."
 Long Fight Seen He reiterated that 1t would be Q Hong, tough, hard fight" that the Japanese apparently had given up attempts to reinforce. Guadalcanal, and that American forces now completely dominate the duadal- canal area"
 The outcome of the new South Pacific fighting still Is in doubt.
 After weeks of preparation, dur ing which they greatly reinforced their air strength in the islands, the Japanese struck with mighty force in what the Navy described as & major effort to regain control of the entire Solomons area" There was evidence that the tempo of battle had not yet reached its peak. Planes were engaging ships and surface craft were trad. ing blows iR series of scattered engagements over a wide area that already is the graveyard of at least 67 Japanese ships and 20 American and Australian vessels.
 The Americans appeared to have withstood initial Japanase blows but clear-cut decision is yet to be reached. At any rate, there were no signs of any great concern in of- ficial quarters here.
 The Navy'S communique confirm ing Japanese reports that a new battle was in progress gave no de- tails of the action but admitted that both sides had suffered losses.
 An encouraging offlcial note came from Navy department spokesman who denied Japanese claims that in the first two days of the battle two U. s. battleshipS and three cruisers were sunk and another battleship and cruiser were dam- aged. He said:
 Losses Exaggerated
 "The Japanese claims cf .. s. losses are grossly exaggerated and their own losses are understated."
 The enemy placed its own losses at only 10 planes and said that only its air power had engaged the Amer ican naval forces. Naval sources here said Japanese surface forces also were involved.
 American airmen operating out of Guadalcanal, focal point of the re. peated Japanese attempts to regain ! full control of the Solomons, made frequent attacks on enemy bases in the islands. Gen. Douglas MacAr- thurs aircraft also blasted at the ensmy's key base at Rabaul, New Britain, to the northwestward of the Solomons. These assaults ap. parently were intended to prevent enemy aircraft or ships ct these bases from joining the fray.
 This was the most determined Japanese attempt to release the American grip on the southeastern Solomons since the Nov. 30-Dec. 1 engagement in which they lost nine ships and e U. 8. cruiser was lost. It was the fourth all-out Japanese drive to retake the islands that they lost to the Americans lest August.
 There was more than the south- eastern 0oIomols ct stake in the present battle. Complete control og the GoloTaons would facilitate Q Japanese attempt to cut American communication lines to Australia.
 The navy would not disclose the extent q losses CT any details og the battle beauee to reveal, at this time, details of thoso engagements would endauger the 9necens og our future OpeFatlnns in this area"
 Eoonliams Set Revealed
 Exnet locations of tAe engaeD. menls were not ueToaIeo hy tno navy, rho Sapane1e FepoEt eoIo c h.af(ln mann f@IFNaf N1nFe ~ MU|WNI