Evening star., 1944-04-02

which the invasion of the Philip
pines and the Dutch East Indies is
believed to have been launched.
Again the Navy was disappointed,
for apparently, based on the first
fragmentary reports before radio
silence was clamped down. whatever
Japanese naval strength was present
had fed, having been forewarned by
scout planes of the approach of the
American armada. The showdown
battle which most experts foresee
again was avoided by the enemy.
With nice coordination, Amer
ican aircraft smashed at Truk, Po-
nape and Woleai, southwest of Truk
and about halfway between that is
land and the Palaus, thus pinning
down japanese land-based planes
which might otherwise have joined
in the defense against the task force.
Encouraging was the announce
ment that part of the air force
bombing Truk came from Gen. Mac
Arthur's command in the Southwest
Pacific, who thus for the first time
participated in joint attack with
Admiral Nimitz's Central Pacific
Command against the enemy.
Nearly 200 Jap planes were re-
ported destroyed in the various
raids.
50 Aircraft Carriers.
The task force which visited the
Palaus was said to have been COM
posed OF numerous carriers, some, at
lest, of the new heavy type; battle
ships and all the lesser ships which
go with such a force. 1t was in
sufficient strength to meet whatever
the Japs might have cared to en-
ploy against it.
Secretary Knox, incidentally. re-
vealed last week that there are now
so aircraft carriers operating in the
Pacific, an astounding number con-
sidering the American possession of
only three after the loss of the
Yorktown, Lexington, Wasp and
Hornet.
Extending its field of operation on
New Guinea, Allied flyers bombed
Hollandia, important Jap airbase
west of badly battered Wewak.
i Another serious blow to the Japs,
serious because 1t is indicative of
Tojo's realization of his loss of
strength and the growth Of Allied
might, came during the week when
1t was revealed that Japan had been
forced to surrender to Russia the
OIL and coal leases Japan held in
Sakhalin, northern half of an island
Jointly owned by Japan and Russia
In return for the annual renewal
OF the fishing treaty between Japan
and Russia, Toxic agreed to give
up lease which was to run until
1870. In return, Russia agreed to
compensate the Japs with about
j S950,000 for equipment and to per-
NIT Japan to ship out such already
mined coal and recovered oil as may
be in storage.
Oil Production Light.
The oil production is not heavy
in Sakhalin. but due to the increas-
ing difficulty the Japs have in OBJ
tanning Oil from the Dutch East In
dies it looms important in Japan's
war plans.
Only in India does the Pacific
picture look anything but bright
There japanese troops have forced
the British to give up Tiddim, i'm
portant base in the Chin hills OF
Burma. At least four other Japa-
nese columns are moving toward
the main base at Imphal, one patrol
having penetrated into India to a
point only II miles from the base
The British claim to be undis-
turbed by the development, stating
that the Japs will find a different
picture when they reach the de-
lenses OF 1mphal itself.
In the meantime, somewhat off
setting this situation, American and
Chinese troops driving down toward
Myitkyna, near the Chinese border
In the Tengchung area, have al
most surrounded a substantial Jap
anese force and have caused serious
losses to the enemy.
The entire situation is in a state
OF flux which may harden into a
definite advantage either way
/ shortly.