Evening star., 1943-04-17
NavyIs Reorganized
Into Seven Fleets;
Australia Gets One
Change Leads to Belief
Macarthur Will Receive
Strong Reinforcements
By the Associated Press.

os thc hSsoCldtcu Press.
Reorganization of the Unitet
States Navy into seven fleets
with one assigned to the Aus
tralian area, strengthened tn
possibility today that strong re
Inducements might be destined
for Gen. Douglas Macarthur.
Meanwhile, a congressional con
troversy concerning Pacific ant
overall Allied strategy was high
lighted by call from Senate
George, Democrat, of Georgia TO
shipment to Australia and China O
all the additional planes needed
for those fronts"
There was no further official com
ment from the Navy on Secretar,
Knox's disclosure yesterday of tn,
reorganization. but it was promptl,
pointed out elsewhere that ther,
have been no previous reports O
major use of naval forces by Gen
Macarthur.
Announcement Starts Speculation
Some highly placed observer:
stressed that the reorganiza tiol
might be one ''of convenience only,
involving no important transfers O.
sea power. But they acknowledged
that heretofore the name fleet" ha!
been reserved for large naval unit
The possibility that such a force
has been assigned Gen. Macarthur
started immediate speculation as te
whether the Allied high command
has decided to channel into the
Southwest Pacific more support
both on land and sea.
That extent of the former depends
largely on the latter was seen in
Gen. MacArthurs statement earlier
this week that the Japanese hold
complete control of the sea lanes
In the Western Pacific and the outer
approaches to Australia"
He added, however, that air power
to the situation in that theater, and
Secretary of War Stimson promptly
promised a constantly increasing
flow of planes and other war sup
plies to the Southwest Pacific.
Then, at yesterdays press confer
ence, Mr.. Knox said the Navy now
has seven fleets operating against
the Axis. stating that one-the 7th-
Is operating in the Australian area
while the Sd is in the South Pacific
1t was presumed from previous
Navy mention of separate commands
that the feet alignments might be
In the North Atlantic, South At
lantic, European, Southwest Pacific
South Pacific, Southeast Pacific and
Pacific.
Capt. Leland P. Lovette, director
Of public relations for the Navy
said at Houston, Tex, yesterday
that this was not the 'propitious
moment" for an all-out attack to
drive the Japanese from the
Aleutians.
Surface vessels are not available
At this time to carry troops to the
Aleutians," he declared pointing out
that even if the enemy were driver
from the islands, American troops
would have to be garrisoned ano
supplied there.
Capt. Lovette estimated that Ger.
many has 400 to 500 submarines.
To lick the sub is the hardest job
that the navies of the world face
today" he said.
Referring specifically to the newly
designated "7th Fleet" in Australian
waters, Mr.. Knox asserted there
had always been a fleet in Aus
tralia.' 1t is now under command
OF Rear Admiral Arthur Carpenter
New CommOdores Assigned.
Mr.. KnoX's disclosure of seven
fleets was made in announcing as
slgnmentS of four officers nominated
for the recently revived rank of COM
modore Navy rank which COM
pared with that of brigadier general
In the Army.
the new commodores:
r. G. Conan of Santa Rosa, Calf.
command of the Service Force fot
the 7th Fleet in the Southwest Pa
clf1c Force; Oscar Smith, of Eustice
Fla, Task Force No. l: L. P. John
SON of Concord, N. c.. Rear Echelor
Amphibian Force, Atlantic: L. F.
Reifsnider, Transports Amphibiar
Force, 3rd Fleet. Southern Pacific
On Capitol Hill. Senator George
concentrated on the Pacific phase
of the Allied strategy squabble ir
which Senator Chandler, Democrat
of Kentucky charged that the Pa
Cific theater had been erroneously
relegated to "a secondary affair.
The Georgian told reporters:
I've never offered any suggestion
about the overall strategy, and ii
may be that the nearest way tC
China and the Far East is through
the Mediterranean.
AT the same time. I don't believe
we have been given an adequate
or conclusive answer to the question
why we can't send 500 or 900 addi-
honal planes to Gen. Macarthur and
a like number into China, if they
are necessary.
I'm not convinced that we can't
in the light of the fact that We
are producing from 5000 to 5000
planes month"
This view was shared by Senator
johnson, Democrat. of Colorado, &
member of the Military Affairs
Committee, who termed Senator
Chandler'ss speech to the Senate
yesterday magnificent"
Senator Chandler demanded thai
500 fighting planes be rushed tc
China. that the japanese be driver
from the islands of Kiska and Attl
and that Gen. Macarthur be pro.
vided with adequate planes, mer
and equipment to conduct an often.
sive against the Japanese"
Today's aftermath of we speech
of the chairman of the Military
Subcommittee which inspected
Alaskan and. Aleutian defenses las
year brought the comment from
Senator Pepper, Democrat, of Flor.
ida, that congressional strategist.
cant claim any more authority
than any other swivel-chair strate.
gistS."