Evening star., 1943-02-13
Next Blow
Seen Aimed
At Japan
Presidents Speech
Indicates Job Can
Be Done in Teur
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

nese may not have attained all they
desired out of the Casablanca con-
ference, but it is apparent that much
more attention is to be given to the
Pacific than heretofore.
When President Roosevelt said
in his Friday night speech that
before this year is out. it will be
made known to the world--in action
rather than in words-that the
Casablanca conference produced
plenty of news" he was refuting ar
impression Of disappointment that
prevailed in some quarters. What
Mr.. Roosevelt now SayS-namely
that it will be bad news for the
Germans and Italians-and the
Japanese means that the plan to
take the offensive against Japan has
crystallized.
Since the Casablanca conference,
British and American generals have
visited Chungking to discuss STRAIT
egy with Gen. Chang Kai-shek
Secretary Knox denied and then the
President also repudiated the idea
that our plan is to proceed on an
island by-iSland basis in the Pacific.
This is but another way Of confirm
Ing that our procedure will be to
strike major blows at Japan at her
most vulnerable lines of defense.
Many Ways to Strike.
There are many ways to strike at
Japan-from China by air. and from
the various island bases we are &C
quiring, and by naval carriers which
shall strike at JapanS vital supply
depotS. In due time, these move
ments Of our forces will be revealed,
and 1t is indicated that the war of
nerves has begun to be imposed on
the Toxic crowd.
They do not know from which
point the attack will come. 1t may
even come some day from the ST.
berian area, in the event that Rus
sia feels herself strong enough in
Europe to take on the japanese in
the Far East. 1t would not be
necessary for the Russians to enter
the war, but merely to take the
risks Of war by afTording oppor-
tunities to Allied airmen to trans
port materials and planes to Ger
tain strategic points. Benevolent
neutrality, such as Turkey has en-
barked upon. would be a tremendous
factor IN the ultimate success of
our campaign in the Pacific.
Perhaps the biggest piece of news
revealed in the last "a hours in
relation to the Pacific is the state
ment made first by Prime Minister
Churchill, and confirmed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt, that Britain has
pledged herself to help with all her
might hi the Pacific when once
Hitler and Mussolini are crushed in
Europe.
News by Indirection.
This promise Is news by indirec-
ton. For several months talk has
been heard in Washington that it
was all right to say that the war
In Europe comes first and that Hit
Ter must be beaten ahead of all
other tasks. but wouldn't the British
people be tired and be inclined to
insist on demobiliza ton of the
armed services instead of pitching
In and helping us to defeat Japan?
This question has been supple
mented also by the frequently heard
suggestion that, however earnest
the British government itself might
be about continuing the war at top
speed, there would be an inevitable
slowing down inside the British
Army, Navy and Air Forces and a
tendency TO relax, especially be-
cause Of a belief that the United
States has plenty of tools and men
to finish up Japan herself.
The United States can defeat
Japan without any help, but it will
take five years to do the lob.
whereas with the cooperation of
the British naval and air forces it
might be done in year after Hitler
is beaten and many American lives
thus saved
Meanwhile, it is agreed that the
number one task is to beat the Axis
In Europe, but it may well be asked
whether the pledge given the Presi-
dent by the Prime Minister will be
easy for any British cabinet to full
Ill when once an armistice in
Europe sweeps that continent and
the war in the Far East seems 50
fer of.
There is one compelling reason.
however, why the British govern
nent will do It's utmost to swing It's
public opinion in line. British pres
tiee in Burma, China and the Malay
Peninsula has ebbed considerably
since the loss of Singapore and the
surrounding territory. If Britain
expects TO be as close to Australia.
TOO, in the future as in the past. she
must play a vital part in winning
the war against Japan.
For the time being, it may be as
sunned that more Of our total pro-
suction has been allocated for oper-
stons in the Pacific than hereto
fore and that, while the American
Navy hasn't gotten all that it
wanted, 1t has enough to make life
miserable for the japanese govern
ment and its slaves for at least the
next y months
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