Evening star., 1944-04-25

| secretary OF Commerce Jones and
many high-ranking military officials,
attended the luncheon.
Admiral Ramsey expressed belief
that the japanese would rely largely
on submarine action and night air
attacks to slow down the United
States advance.
This is their cheapest form of
defense and I sincerely believe it
has been imposed upon them," he
said. when and where their fleet
will be risked remains to be seen.
1t may not be until we get very
close to their back yard.
From our point of view, the
sooner we get in a knock-down, drag
out fight with the enemy's surface
navy the better, for we can afford
to play the game of ship for ship
with them and they cannot"
Censorship Discussed.
Discussing military censorship,
Admiral Ramsey said the director of
war information was presented
with all news from naval sources
along with recommendations as to
the suitability of release, but he
said "by executive order the owl
may release over Navy protest"
Gen. Vandegrift, who won the
Congressional Medal of Honor, said
he did not doubt that as the war
moved closer to Japan tthe enemy
will redouble his fury in defense and
counterattack."
His fleet, now giving the lie to his
propaganda broadcasts in some hid
den base, might come out" he said.
And we may take heavy casualties.
The enemy will take more, I assure
YOU"
He praised the news services for "a
fine job Of the reporting Of this
war;" but said the Nation should not
forget that black winter of 194l-2."
Preparedness Emphasized.
I'VE were not ready" he said.
'* Why We were not ready is not
q problem to discuss here. But3t is
a problem for every member Of ythe
American information services, H.
may so charactsrize the press Of this
Nation, to think of as we. approach
victory. For in our democracy the
Nation gets what the people want,
and your publications are thesgreat-
lest educational outlet to this people
that we have. We must never let
ourselves be so unprepared again."
Col ALISON said that gliders, car
rying bulldo1ers, tractors, jeeps.
mules and soldiers of Gen. Wingate's
forces and members Of the Air Com
mando group went into Burma the
night of last March 5.
Two sites were selected for land
ing, but the japanese blocked one OF
the jungle clearings and the gliders
were instructed to land at the other.
They met no opposition on landing,
he said. but many filed into each
other in the landing area. The
second wave, not needed, returned
to base.
The first airfield was built by
afternoon and that night the first
DC-3 landed.
Strong Force in Area.
Altogether 65 sorties arrived that
night bringing in fighting troops,
mules. machine guns and equip
ment," he said. from then on It
was just another operation-taking
transports of from India and land
ing them 200 miles behind the
enemy lines at night"
He said he could not disclose how
many troops were in the area, but
that there was a strong force. He
said he was optimistic as to the out
come of the action.
"Our light planes have done a
marvellous job supplying British
troops in the heart of the enemy
territory, flying unprotected and un-
escorted at day far behind the
enemy lines and carrying out British
wounded" Col. Alison continued.
Our troops are being supplied
every day with food, with ammuni-
ton and with men to replace their