CHINA WILL WIN.'

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 65, 18 March 1938, Page 3

CHINA WILL WIN.'

TOO BIG FOR JAPAN. ' i UNITED AGAINST INVADER. OPINION OF U.S.A. EXPERT. "All the evidence is that China will lose all the important battles, hut .Japan " '11 l°#e tlie war simply .because she will lie unable to ludd down such vast areas of hostile territory. Further, it is probable that .Japan will lie forced into such an acute economic crifis that her present military leaders will be forced to give up a preat <leal of their continental ambitions." I his opinion was expressed hv Mr. . Ij. Holland, research secretary of llie Institute of Pacific Relations. New who arrived in Auckland by the Matron liner Alonterey this mornin^.

.Mr. Holland, who is a Timaru boy, is I accompanied by ]iiri wife, formerly Miss Doreen McCarry. of Auckland." They will spend a short holiday in Xew Zealand ami Australia before returning to the I nited States of America. " I lie greatest thing about the SinoJapaneso war has lieen the astounding: solidarity of the Chinese people.'' said -Mr. Holland, who has spent some time in ( Itilist during the present conHict. I liis solidarity has not been merely on the part of the armies, which have boon tragically outclassed by the Japanese in both equipment and organisation, but also 11 y the common people, who have assisted the Chinese guerilla lighters even alter their lands have been occupied by the .la jia nose." The formation of the United Front in the political life of China was an outstanding factor in promoting unified action against the invaders. Mr. Holland continued. The old breach between the Communists and the Chiang Kai-shek (iovermnent had been healed, and now the Communist Army was an enthusiastic and efficient defender of Nationalist China. Although the Red Army was comparatively small —numbering some 50.0(10—its ability in guerilla warfare and its wonderful manoeuvring tactics ma<le it an ally of great value. "The unifying of China through the formation of the I'nited Front at the beginning of the war also contributed to the elimination of the defeatist attitude existing a mon? certain sections of 1110 Chinese." Mr. Holland continued. "There were many Chinese who were prepared to 'sell out' and make a deal with tho Japanese, but that attitude has changed. The c-t lipid and «diort--ightod policy of the Japanese in adopting a far-reaching programme of bombing and destruction. instead of confining their activities in that direction to one or two towns, lias raised a tierce hatred against them and has bound the Chinese people together ais nothing else could do.'' Though the war might drag on indefinitely. it would mean that China would be strengthened while her opponent was gradually sapped of strength, and in this war of attrition the advantage must lie with the Chinese, whose co-ordination and equipment would improve as the struggle progressed.