The Guardian (And Evening Star, with'which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 10th., 1940 CHINESE POSITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1940, Page 4

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with'which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 10th., 1940 CHINESE POSITION.

The' Sino-Japaneso conflict has been in progress fur unco years now. ilie mst ciasn was in uuiv, LkW, at rekin, wnero Chinese and Japanese soldiers fought, and out of that encounter grev. the war. It might be regttKied as one of endurance, seeing that the tide ot battle has ebbed and flowed over three years, but mainly in Japanese'favour. Japan had the advantage in mechanisation and modern equipment, with the result that in set conflicts great loss was imposed on the defenders. The advantage in the air was a great lever for Japan, and gradually the Chinese forces have been driven back. - The casualties have been very heavy on both sides, and the aggregate total is said to be well over A,090,000. The Chinese, led by Chiang Kai-Shek, had to retire inland, and they moved the normal capital from Pekin to Nanking, and finally to Chungking. But the Japanese continue to search them out, and : from time to time the capital is the objective of deadly raids. In the matter of supplies, Chiang Kai-Shek received much help from Russia,' but that source of supply is not so reliable of late. The Chinese built, with great patience, .a road from Burma, to Chungking, and along that, and from Indo China much help lias been received of indispensible war supplies. The Japanese have carried on a Systematic coastal blockade, and this has been extended to Indo China now, with requests to both Burma and Indo C hina to stop supplies. The delay in the British reply on behalf of Burma, is causing some discontent in Tokio, but it is probable Britain and the United States are conferring on the subject, as their interests to maintain their possessions in the Far Kaft are identical. It is important- tor both to co-operate to strengthen the position, and the final reply to Japan. Meantime, the Japanese have set up a puppet government in part of China, and this is beginning to exercise some authority over its immediate region. But it acts under Japanese authority, and is part and parcel of tin. country's foreign policy co obtain fuller control in China. It is reported, also, that Japan and Russia are conferring on the subject of settling their differences about boundaries affecting the Manehukuo territory, which the Japanese seized, in 1931. and are now fairly well established with the aid, also, ot a puppet government. China, which is a vast territory, has her country occupied to the north by both Russia and Japan, but there is still a great extent of China proper remaining, and this is the further prize Japan seeks. The changes in the Far East, due to Holland and France suffering defeat and occupation by Germany, places their colonial territory in jeonardv. Japan, a friend of Germany, seeks to gain control of the East Indies and French Tndo China, but the United States is pledged to maintain the status quo in the Pacific, and has Britain with her. Britain has the China Squadron based on Singapore. and the American Navy is i" the Pacific in considerable force. These are the two agencies which in the meantime maintain the balance of power in the North Pacific, and especially in the East Indies.

Tijk mastery of the air is of greatest moment in the present conflict. Great Britain, happily, is heading for that position. In view of the threatened organised attack on Britain, the air will be one main section of the attack. The preliminary bombing raids are preparatory to the event, but they are not meeting with wholesale success, as are the 11.A.F. on Germany and Germanoccupied territory. The attacks on England and Scotland are more of the hit and run type. Military objectives are not searched out as in the long British flights over Germany. The enemy is content to sight the shore, and indiscriminately drop bombs along the coast. By chance at times they strike the outskirts of a town or city, but more often the bombs drop in open country. Interrogated prisoners admit the accuracy of the defence fire, and the warm reception accorded the raiders, and there is evidence of the morale of the pilots being broken. On the other side of the picture, we have the long flights of the British to definiteparts of the country, and military objects, be they aerodromes, docks, canals, railways, or munition factories, are all receiving visits as if it were ordinary routine. Where encounters occur the enemy fares worse, and on all raids on the United Kingdom, machines are lost. In general therefore, there is evidence of a distinct advantage in the air warfare. Add to that the report by Lord Beaver brook in charge of the Department of Supply, that machines are being manufactured tn Britain faster than ever, while sunplies from Canada and the United States are sending more and more machines. Very soon Australia will he able to send aeroplanes to England, also. The organisation for a sustained supply of pilots is now Empire-wide, and men are being trained in all parts of the Dominions. The colonies are subscribing money to purchase more and more fighting machines, and sending men to man them. It is a great united effort with the single purpose bent on victory. Time has been on the side of Britain in developing these preparations in advance of the blast to come from Germany, and the stage now reached anpoars to be a source of, optimism for the Home authorities.