Evening star., 1943-02-01
Knox, on Way 10 D. {.
From Pacific, Predicts
New Raid on Tokio
Secretary and AdmiroIs
Under 7-Hour Bombing
At GuuduIcunuI
F, the Associated Press.

F. the Associated Press.
SAN DIEGO, Calf, Feb. l.
Secretary Of the Navy Knox has
returned from an inspection of
far-flung Pacific outposts with
the predictions that there are
darn good prospects of an air at
tack on Toxic" and that within
the next 80 days all organized re-
sistance on Guadalcanal will dis
appear
The Secretary. who stopped here
briefly yesterday en- route back to
Washington on his 20,000-mile in
spection trip. twice within the last
two weeks was under japanese air
attack The first attack was short
one at Espiritu Santo in the New
Hebrides and the second, a much
heavier one of seven-hour duration.
was on Guadalcanal. No casualties
were reported in either attack.
With Secretary Knox during the
attacks were Admiral Chester w.
Nimitz, commander in chief of the
Pacific Fleet. and Admiral William
F. Halsey. commander of the South
Pacific Force
Toxic Attack Discussed.
II think there are darn good
prospects of an air attack on Toxic"
the Secretary said at Pearl Harbor
just before flying here. But when
or how it will hit I will not say.
? but they better get ready"
II think the Japs will fight a
tough. hard. persistent war. I will
. not discuss strategy, but will say
we have just begun to fight and
haven't hit our hardest blows yet.
Every base has an abundance
OF supplies and men are living well
and the spirit of our men every
where is magnificent
Our submarines are doing
. magnificent Job and operations
against the japanese lines of COM
, munications are going at a good
rate. I think destruction of ship
ping is matter of great concern
to the japanese. Knowing their
shipping resources and their capa-
bilities Of building, we can readily
understand their concern
The submarine situation in the
Atlantic. however. he viewed as "a
tough problem to us" and said lots
. of losses are ahead there for us"
Gives Views on Gaudalcanal.
. OF Gaudalcanal. he said:
I'm my judgment. it may be fall
lacious one, but my opinion is that
= the japanese have abandoned any
idea of reinforcement OF their troops
there and within the next 30 days
all organized resistance on Gaudal-
canal will disappear"
A question regarding the stu
,ation in the Aleutians was answered
by Admiral Nimitz, who said:
. Operations are proceeding salts
factorily there. The threat in the
Aleutians is diminishing"
Secretary Knox said his trip to
the widely spaced Pacific islands |
was to get first-hand information
on how to spend funds and speed
the movement of supplies He found
all posts we'll prepared to meet
attack.
The Secretary praised the Pacific
high command,
Il cannot speak too we'll of the
high command" he said The
nearer to the front the less the
distinction of the various services.
You can't tell the Army, Navy and
marines apart. All are animated
by the same determination to come
to grips with the enemy and end
the war as soon as possible and have
.bounding confidence in their
ability to do it
Referring to Pearl Harbor and
Oahu, the Secretary said he found
them transformed into a fortress
and think Oahu now is adequately
defended and the men who COM
prise the defense are thoroughly I
aware OF their responsibility.
? Il found Midway IN very salts !
factory condition of defense. We
recognize the immense danger of
This one OF the most exposed posts
An the Pacific. Outstanding here
and at all other posts is the blazing
spirit of offensive by the officers
and men Of all services. The same
applies to Johnston Palmyra. Cam
ton mid Pacific islands,. At the
Fijis I found Sir Philip Mitchell,
the British governor, most hospit-
able and the state of our defense
and projects there fine
I'm the New Hebrides ! found the
base far more advanced than ex-
pected.
Hospital Excellent.
"On another island I cannot dis
close its location, I visited a fine
hospital. l never saw a finer field
hospital. and there were 25 to 30
nurses there. That makes the men
happy.
One of our greatest enemies is
malaria. The Army and Navy are
thoroughly aware OF how great this
Is and the most modern means are
being used to meet this peril. l can
say that the men can get better at
tention for malaria there than they
could al home The spirit Of the
men in the hospitals iS wonderful.
The blazing courage Of these fellows
is something III never forget. and
] do hope this message can get 10
the folks at home how fine the nos
pital service is and what good care
Is being taken of them.
At the Fills l met two men who
had been decorated. Sullivan and
Murphy. Sullivan is Navy officer
and Murphy q marine. l told them
the story of how during the last war
while l was in France. Mrs. Knox
used TO read the casualty lists every
day-the x section Of the list Later
she told HE that every day some
thing was happening to a Kelly,
The irish are always in the thick
Of the fight. It was Sullivan who
said that the fighting at Guadal-
canal has made Christians Of us
all
There are no heathens in fox
hole, Murphy added.
"T prayed like hell every night,
Sullivan rejolned
Samoa is in fine shape Like al
the other posts. it is prepared for any
y1ScihIc 1ftocly thot might