Evening star., 1943-03-09
Mas Calls for Solid
Blows Before Japan
Conso|idafes Gains
Tells Building Congress
Constructive Criticism Is
Obligation of Citizens

Termng GuadalCanaI = negative
victory and naval action, to date in
the Pacific merely "Slaps in the face
OF Japan, Representative Mass.
Republican, Of Minnesota yesterday
said that we may never defeat ia
pan unless We shift our military
emphasis to that arena now-vhiIr
Ue still have allies who have to fight
on our side to save their own hides '
Speaking before members Of the
Washington Building Congress AT a
luncheon in the Mayfowcr Hotel
the flying marine colonel stated.
Our stake in the Pacific is the
survival Of the 'white-tvpe' ciyl,jza-
ton and so far We haven't gotten in
single body blow against the great
est empire in the history Of the
world"
Describing himself as the .pokes-
man Of the narticulate m!litarv "
Mr. Mas, ranking minority member
Of the House Naval Affairs Commit
tee declared that he realizes that
even the gloomy outlook in the Pa
chic he presented last wear after his
return from four months of active
outN with Admiral HalscN made him
look Ike "POllyanna TO-DAY.
Criticism AN OBLIGATION"
Constructive criticism Is The
highest obligation Of citizcnshin
he said. Our political leaders viii
only stop this criticism by correct
ing the faults which provoke il. One
OF these faults is the ignoring Of thc
military point Of view held bv mon
who have made strategy their life
time study, Lincoln didn't hpojn
winning the Civil War untU he
turned its management over to Dro-
fesional generals-I hope the par
aLel strikes home.
We have 1000 times more at
stake in the Pacific than we do in
Europe and, as matters stand now
We are only holding the Japs on
their own lines. We have to hit AT
their war production before they
can convert the raw materials in
thelr empire to use against us.
We have to do this nov. ENGLAND
is rapidly losing her stake in the
Pacific. We have no assurance that
Russia will take any interest in the
war after she pushes the Na7is off
her soil, In plain language, they
nave to help Us now, they may have
no desire to do so later on.
There are two plans that have
TO be followed in our campaign
against the Japs First, We have
to bomb them where it hurts-riclt
in the breadbasket. DOOlittle's raid
did more harm than good because
We didn't follow it up, and it served
merely to show the Japs that thev
weren't invulnerable to bombing.
Sees Need of Airfelds.
The second thing that must be
done Is for us to take fields from
which land-based planes can Oper-
ate. If we have learned anything
from this war to date. it is that
the only planes that can earrv out
decisive action are those rhaf are
land-based The recent nattlc Of
Bismarck Sea shows this. We need
dive bonlberS and torpedo bonlbers
and the fields to handle them. and
We AiCCt tilCIII bt4DIb Japan con-
solidates her position.
Time is rapidly running against
us in the Pacific. Elsewhere It
seems to be on our side. It now ap-
pears obvious that there won't be
any invasion Of the continent Of
Europe this year unless Germany
collapses And I don't see any sign
of this"
Mr.. Mas reiterated his recon-
mendation for combining of the
Navy. Army and Marines into o1e
"amphibious fighting force" He also
advocated coalition government
in which people would stop con-
sulting only those persons they know
agree with them
Asked If he thought there was
still a chance that Washington
would be bombed, Mr.. Mas said.
''Yes, there is distinct possibility
Of II. Let's not get oyersecure about
these things"