WAR IN THE EAST

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 12290, 2 March 1938, Page 3

WAR IN THE EAST

CHIANG CONFIDENT CHINA’S UNLIMITED MANPOWER FOE DEFENCE CAX OUTLAST JAPAN London. Feb. 2S. In a special interview with the "New s Chronicle’’ Hankow representative. Marshal Chiang Kai-shek gave three reasons why he was confident of success against Japan. Firstly, he said, China's currency cover was still exceptionally high, whereas Japan’s was low. Secondly, the Chinese people realised the National Government had made a sincere and sustained effort to raise the standard of living while the Japanese were not encouraged by a similar conviction. Thirdly, China had unlimited manpower for the defence of her own soil. Marshal Kai-shek admitted that the process of soldierising such a vast country was inevitably slow. In the meantime he was not afraid of the Japanese advances, which lengthened their lines of communication and increased their vulnerability to guerilla attacks. “We are convinced that China can outlast Japan,” he added. According to a message from Hankow, General Pai Changslvi, Chinese Chief of Staff, said China’s casualties were only 500,000, which was comparatively insignificant. He added; “Not until our sacrifices are 50,000,000 or 100,000,000 need we despair. It takes three Chinese to kill one Japanese, and, therefore, we need only 100,000,000 to exterminate Japan’s entire male population.”