Evening star., 1943-12-30

Jap defenses on New Britain.
Page AS
BY the Associated Press.
Admiral Ernest j. King, COM
mander in chief of the fleet, said
today that plans are ready for
shifting full strength of the
United Nations into the war
against Japan, probably some
time in 1914.
Preparation of the plans, he said,
has been under way for several
months and may not wait until de-
feat of Germany. which he agreed
with Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
may be expected In 1914.
Il am hopeful and expectant," !"
Admiral King said, that Germany
will be defeated in 1914. I am ex-
pectant that unremitting pressure
on Japan will be continued and in
creased
Il don't know whether any one
else has announced it but it would
be an obvious thing-studies have
been under way for several months
looking to shift of power from the
European theater to the Pacific thea
ter not only when Germany is de-
feated, but as her defeat seems near
at hand"
U. S. Fleet in Better Position.
The Nays commander in chief
added in an interview that when
the shift in power is made "the main
lines of attack on Japan are already
determined and additional means
will be used to additionally imple-
ment the general strategy of defeat
for Japan"
Asked if the United States now is
IN a better position because of the
increased size of the fleet, which has
been doubled in the last year, he re-
piled emphatically:
I'VE are in a better position to re-
tain what is technically known as
the initiative. We'd be going along
faster against Japan if we had more
means" Those additional means
will be available with transfer of
power from the European theater,
he added.
Referring to recently reported at
tempts by the aircraft carrier Sara
toga and her supporting vessels to
lure the japanese feet from the
enemy's main base at Truk for a
showdown fight, Admiral King said
such battle would be Welcomed
Still Trying to Engage Japs.
We've done several things to get
them out" he asserted. And we
are going to do several more in an
endeavor to get them out"
To japanese assertions that they
may launch offensive operations in
1914, he replied;
II don't quite see how they are
going on the offensive where they
are in contact in the Pacific What
they may do in China, Manchuria,
or even Burma, is something else
Their shipping losses which are
going on constantly are putting
them in a position where the only
offensive that would get them any
where in the Pacific is amphibious.
They are getting shorter and shorter
of ships-and a large number is
necessary to do that. They might
dredge up enough for one such op-
Grafton, but I don't think they are
very happy about their shipping sit
uation."
Japs Being Forced Back.
He pointed out on a chart the
steady forcing back of the japanese
perimeter of bases. Asked if it
would be necessary for the United
States to continue the current is
land-hopping campaign throughout
the Pacific islands," he replied:
"Of course. I'm afraid that ques-
ton is like the famous one, DO you
still beat your wife?' We never have
had the intention of island hopping.
The so-called island hopping is due
in large measure to the limitation
of ways and means available to do
anything. That is a big factor in
the Pacific. If we had more out
there we could strike at more points
with more force"
Germany's defeat would not
change our general strategy against
Japan greatly, he said, because we
are working on main strategic lines
now. Obviously. the implementa-
ton of the strategy will be markedly
increased"