Timely Topics

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1937, Page 6

Timely Topics

FINALITY IN THE FAR EAST In view of the latest developments of the war in China, the following, written by Maxwell S. Stewart, for “The Nation,” New York, is decidedly interesting:—“ln 'a struggle between massed armies China sooner or later is bound to be smashed. Although Chi'ang Kai-shek has several divisions of troops that, man for man, are equal or superior to any the Japanese can put in the field, he has not the 'artillery, tanks or air force to hold out indefinitely against Japan’s highly-mechanised forces. His planes have shown up reasonably well compared with those of the Japanese, but they are outnumbered three or four to one, China does not begin to have

| the financial and industrial resources I which Japan possesses, but neither is | its economy so sensitive to the cat as - j trophic effect of war. From 85 to 90 ! per cent, of China's population is directly dependent on agriculture; the tactual industrial population is insignificant. Owing to the almost complete absence of transport facilities , each province, and to a large extenteach village, is virtually self-suffi-i dent. The destruction of Shanghai j will have no effect on the living j standards of the peasants in the ini terior provinces. Half the country j could be laid waste without seriously influencing the economic structure of I the other half.”