Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-04-15
King SaysNavy
Will Hit laps
Again Soon
| Tells FIJI Academy
| Empires Dissolution
| Is U. S. Objective

New assaults against the life
lines of Japan's Pacific empire
may be expected in the next few
months, Admiral Ernest j. King,
commander In chief of the
United States Fleet and chief of
naval operations, declared today
in an address at graduation
exercises of the Oath session Of
the Federal Bureau of Investi-
cations National Policy Acad-
envy at the Departmental Audi
forum.
All offensive operations have but
one objective, dissolution Of the
Japanese Empire as a military
power, Admiral King emphasized.
1t. Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift,
Marine Corps commandant, who
also addressed the graduates, said
all the battles Of modern war are
not fought at sea, In the air or on
we'll defined battlefields between
masses of opposing troops" And
ne added: Our problems doubtless
would be simplified If they were.
Our battles of espionage and coun-
terespionage, agitation and counter
agitation, propaganda and counter
propaganda go on quietly and
intensely under the surface, often
in the most unusual and unexpected
places"
King Cites Jap Losses.
Admiral King, commenting on the
heavy blows already struck Japan,
pointed to the sinking of 1000 900
tons OF cargo tonnage and blows
against her fleet of warsl1ips so
heavy that "she can never hope to
make up losses by building her
fighting ships or repairing those
that we have damaged"
One indication that Japan's ship
ping probler1 Is becoming acute"
he added, us the wide use she ia
making Of self-propelled barges,
many of wood, for long inter-island
hauls of both men and materials.
Il she had enough ships she would
never resort to such transportation.
To date we have sunk, probably
sunk. or damaged by submarine
action, at least 500 Japanese mer-
chant vessels. She cannot stand
such rate Of loss for any length
Iof time and keep her empire to-
lgether. The dissolution of that EN-
pure, OF course, is one of the primary
lobjectives Of this war;"
Japs Avoid Major Battle.
Admiral King defined major part
OF the Nays policy in the Pacific
as seizure of opportunity He ex-
planned: so far 1t has been I'm.
possible, for lack Of Japanese co..
operation, to stage q major sea bat
tie. We are willing, but the Japs do
not seem to want to gamble with
tnat type OF battle. So we are seek.
Ing opportunities to strike when
ever we can get within range of
their warships or bases. and think
you will find, within the next few
months to come, that we shall Gre
ate more OF these opportunities. For
example, I have only to cite the re-
cent successful attacks on Palau.
zap and Woleai islands"
All operations in the last II
months have been highly encourage
ing, Admiral King said, adding:
In the Atlantic we have reduced
the submarine situation from the
status of a menace to that of a
problem. Today we know that Ger
many Is concentrating on the
building of submarines to the ex-
lclusion of other shipbuilding, and we
know how many she is producing.
But it is unlikely that Hitler win
be able to terrorize Atlantic Ship
ping lanes again as he did two years
ago."
Vandegrift Lauds Hoover.
Gen. Vandegrift paid tribute to ],
Edgar Hoover, FBI director, and his
staff, for carrying out so EFFICIENTLY
the vital job of protecting this
country from insidious enemies
without, as well as within, long be-
fore the outbreak of war. Their
years OF work, their background. in
the field of counterespionage came
to be of exceptional value to military
and naval intelligence when our
forces moved out to meet the enemy
overseas. That value continues
now, and will continue, happily,
until the day of final victory.
"At the same time, law enforce
ment processes throughout the coun-
try have met the challenge of these
tense, nerve-searing times with a
record of outstanding efficiency. You
who have built that record have
every right to be proud of it, for it is
tribute to your abilities and your
progressive spirit"
The SO graduates included Sergt.
Robert Thompson, ST., of the Capital
Park Police; Charles N. Thomson,
in charge of the identification bureau
of the Prince Georges (Md) County
Police, and Corpl. Earle Newcomer
of the Maryland State Police.