HELP CHINA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 181, 2 August 1941, Page 5

HELP CHINA

SHE GUARDS U.S.A. JAPAN IS BOGYMAN GREAT' CALIFORNIA RALLY (By Air.) SAN FRANCISCO, July 26. That China is guarding "the backdoor against the entry of totalitarianism into the United States" was Stressed at a great meeting in Los Angeles sponsored jointly by United China Relief and the Advertising Club. The "backdoor" metaphor was that of Wendell Wilikie, but the principal speaker was not the Republican leader, who was honour guest, but an expert in foreign affairs, Douglas Miller, L"> years commercial attache at the American Embassy in Berlin and author of the new book, "You Can't Do Business With Hitler." Mr. Miller, who long has been a student of Oriental affairs, presented a novel view. To him military Japan is a bogyman, the Japanese Navy relatively a push over. He emphasised, however, the unity of world totalitarianism, and urged Chinese as well as British aid as essential to American future welfare. "The Japanese Army and Navy have not the effective strength to carry through their criminal designs," Mr. Miller said. 'They are impotent to exploit their conquests or even maintain them intact. The Japanese Navy is not equipped to challenge us on our side of the Pacific. Only two navies in the world, the American and the British, are all-purpose navies, fitted to put to sea and stay there over long periods, fitted to fight in every ocean. "Japanese capital ships are not designed to operate effectively far from home. They have not the facilities for carrying water, fuel and ammunition for long periods over great distances. They lack auxiliary vessels for necessary supplies and servicing. If Japanese battleships jhould appear on our side of the Pacific, we would only need to chase them around until they ran out of fuel and other supplies, and then bag the lot. Very easy!

"Japan is a small country puffed With pride to an unnatural size, trybig to wear a uniform which is too big for it. That boasted Japanese Navy aims its guns with an outmoded fire control, which was discarded in this country years ago. Japanese staff officers, engineers, technicians and chemists quit thinking in their own language and pursue their work in English, French and German if they wish to go very far. It is absurd for a nation still to a semi-feudal state to attempt a mission of world conquest."

' Hitler Is making impossible de» nands on the Japanese, Mr. Miller Bid, and this country's natural ally is China, keeping up the flow of military supplies and civilian relief to them. Aid to China and Britain thus are logically connected. "I fully believe," Mr. Miller declared, "that a strong policy in the Pacific and a stiff, unyielding front presented to Japanese militarists can prevent Japan's further active part in the war. Thus China, in keeping the pressure off Britain's life lines in toe Far East, is giving us invaluable tune to arm while Hitler is weakening himself in his attack on Soviet Bussia."

The luncheon was attended by a crowd that packed the Hollywood Howl, and Mr. Willkie was given an ovation, everyone standing when he entered and again when he started H klk H e seconded the remarks of mut : Miller about the importance of Ctaese aid. Mr. Willkie told of his recent trip to England. Joking on conditions in China, {f; said- "As long as China » awe to stand up, Germany's most elective ally is kept quite busy," wnpusly referring to Japan. "Cnina is one of our outposts, and as * n Jf as she can resist the effective I«n of the totalitarian movement E? a ri On £ er we can Prevent this wtaiitanan wave from washing up 2*ff shores. The Chinese have SSEI atoiost four years against overwhelming odds. flip l he said - " a message to mlh, ncan P eo Ple. sent through IEJZ? member of the British ParWwTol 1 in London. I may as Hβ j£ j thls occasion to deliver it. I J2i!ii!? e where X was from and tjww, Blwpod, Indiana. , 'That's said; 'I have an aunt who WPmTV fellow from Elwood. They J von i to }\ ve in Los An geles, and ny regf d" » S6e them give them