Evening star., 1943-04-15
Jops May Be Troining
New Air Personnel
Maj. Eliot Suggests Now
Nay Be Proper Time
For Our Own Offensive
By Maj. George Fielding Eliot.

~ MAJ. george F1etu1Hg ELtOL.
Gen. Macarthur and Gen. Blamey
warn us that powerful Japanese forces
are gathering to attack Australia and
that we must take steps to retain the
command of the air, while Gen. Mac
Arthur and Secretary OF the Navy Knox
appear to be in disagreement as to the
Japanese naval concentrations in this
area.
Yet the actual record of Japanese air
power continues uniformly bad. There
is plenty of evidence that the numbers of
Japanese planes north of Australia are
increasing but there is also plenty Of
evidence that the Japanese are being
roundly defeated every time they try to
do anything with this air power, suffer-
ing almost incredible losses of planes
and pilots as compared with very small
losses for the American and Australian
air forces opposed to them. This appears
to be due to the fact that the Japanese
pilots are no longer of the same quality
as those which faced us earlier in the
war.
1t seems impossible to suppose that the
Japanese high command can hope to
carry out any really extensive operations
against Australia or against our outposts
north and northeast of Australia with
out having overcome our air superiority
in that part of the world, and it seems
likewise impossible to suppose that the
Japanese high command can cherish any
idea of accomplishing such a purpose
with pilots as ill-trained and inept as
those which they have been sending
against us lately
Yet the warnings Of such experienced
soldiers as Gems. Macarthur and Blamey
are not to be taken lightly. Are we,
therefore, to suppose that the Japanese
have called most of their good pilots
home to Japan and are there carrying
out an intensive pilot training program
the results of which will presently be
apparent in great air offensive? It is
a possibility which we would be foolish
to ignore; one can only say that there
is no concrete evidence of 1t at present
unless the new Japanese raid on Milne
Bay, the details of which have not yet
been reported by Gen. Macarthur, turns
out to be the beginning of such evidence.
Gen. Blamey points out that Japan is
free to concentrate her main efforts in
the Southwest Pacific because she is not
seriously threatened on any other front.
The general was no doubt thinking of the
facts that the coming of the rainy season
In Burma has put an end to Japanese
anxieties in that quarter for the time
being, that the Chinese are unable to
take the offensive on large scale, that
there are no present signs Of trouble on
the Siberian frontier, and that we have
been unable to clear the Japanese out Of
Kiska and Attu, their defensive outposts
in the North Pacific.
Yet the reopening of the Mediterra-
mean, which cannot be far of, will make
possible the reinforcement of India on q
greater scale than has hitherto been at
tempted and improvement of our air
transport lines to China means the
growth OF American air power in that
country to an extent to which Japan
cannot remain Indifferent; nor is there
any assurance that the status quo in the
Aleutians or on the Siberian front Is
permanent.
Thus while 1t may be true that Japan
faces no immediate threat on other
fronts, there are plenty of potential
threats; and this would seem to lead
logically to the conclusion that the pres
ent is Japan's best time to seek to i'm
prove her position in the Southwest
Pacific before these potential threats
develop into actuality. Yet unless the
theory of a great secret pilot training
program is to be accepted, it is hard to
see how the japanese are going to de-
velop any offensive in the Pacific which
would have reasonable chance of sue
cess. Moreover, Japanese naval and
shipping losses have been very heavy and
the japanese high command has to
think very carefully in view of the results
Of like enterprises in the past, before
setting on foot another great amphibious
expedition against Australia or its island
outposts.
AS matter of fact, If we have reason
to suspect that the Japanese are actually
conducting pilot training program
which might reverse the air situation in
the Pacific, that would be exactly the
moment for us to develop an offensive
of our own and anticipate the Japanese
while they still lack the air strength to
deal with u.s. Perhaps that is what Gen.
Macarthur has in mind as he calls for
more planes.
Copyright, 1913, N Y Tribune, 1nc)