Evening star., 1943-07-20
Knox
Continued From First Page.>

indicates that We have only made a
beginning" He declared the cost of
sttrition in the Pacific is ''frightful."
Sicily Just an Outpost.
Take Europe" Mr.. Knox contin-
ued What we will get there in the
next few weeks is an outpost. That's
all Sicily is. All this talk about early
ending of the war is wishful think
ing and is having bad affect in
effecting slowdowns in production
The Secretary said that the Navy
already is feeling the effects of this
showdown. 1T is just criminal to
do it," he added.
For instance, the Secretary said
take the losses of American ships
in the Kula Gulf in the Central
Solomons The American ships lost
There will require 10000 tons OF
finished steel to replace them.
: Here Admiral Horne took up the
discussion and said he wished to
stress the point for the Navy that
the plans now made call for war
that will last until 1949.
This is not a pessimistic state
ment," said Admiral Horne. TT is
based on the tremendous distances
We still have to go. Everything has
to go thousands of miles. It Is based
On the possibility of expected naval
losses.
y Optimism Hurts Production.
2 "One OF the biggest difficulties. .
continued Admiral Horne. us the
wave of optimism that seems to
sweep over the country whenever we
have slight success. We feel it in
our production. 1t may seem slight
ut the time. but we just don't get
the ships"
4 In the Pacific now. Admiral Horne
reported, the United States has a
bigger fleet than Japan. but we
have to have a fleet twice as big
before we can 60 right to grips with
the enemy and we have to have
twice as much air power. We have
TO spread out all over the ocean,
while the japanese are working on
interior lines"
:, He was asked about striking at
Japan through China via the Burma
road.
9 You have to get the road open
frst," he said. Then you have to
get the troops and supplies dellv-
cred to the road and transport them
into China before you can begin to
operate"
Mr.. Knox asked at that point
"How are you going to get troops
across from China to Japan as long
rs the japanese fleet controls the
seas between the two?"
Admiral Horne and MIR. Knox vir-
tually joined in forecasting that the
victory march in the Pacific, lone
though it may be, will never stor
short of complete surrender by the
enemy.
Expects 10 occupy Toxic.
Il expect We won't &c satisfied
with the fall of the japanese feet,
Admiral Horne said Il expect t.
see our people in Toxic before thi!
thing is over unless we want an.
other war within a generation"
I'VE must make this so expensive
for them," Mr.. Knox said, "tha
they won't want another one"
Admiral Horne said he believed il
should be realized that the program
laid down by the Navy is not mere
crystal gazing but is based on the
strategy as we see it.
Mr., Wilson said the armed serv.
ices have made the job of the WIPE
quite clear. particularly to the enc
of this year. He said the Army and
Navy demands are tremendousl,
high, and that it will be necessary
to produce so per cent create,
volume of war goods during the
next six months than was turned
out during the first part of the year
'T can't see how industry ano
labor can figure on any letdown
In 1914 the demands will be cur.
rently higher. The job is create,
than it was six months ago." Mr.
Wilson said.