CHINA AND U.S.

Southland Times, Issue 24871, 10 October 1942, Page 5

CHINA AND U.S.

CHUNGKING DESIRES CO-OPERATION WASHINGTON, October 8. Mr Wendell Willkie departed by plane from Chungking yesterday, but his destination has not been disclosed. The Chinese Government spokesman said that Mr Willkie was the most popular foreign visitor Chungking had seen. Mr Willkie’s statement calling for an all-out offensive and the end of imperialism has found unanimous support in the Chinese Press, says the Associated Press of America. The Finance Minister, Dr H. H. Kung, on behalf of the Chinese-American Institute for Cultural Relations, presented Mr Willkie with a six-point memorandum for President Roosevelt suggesting: (1) That an increased American air force should be sent to China because the present strength is insufficient to i support an effective counter-offensive. I (2) That concerted efforts by the | United Nations should be made to reitake Burma at the earliest possible i time. | (3) That more American bombers i should raid the Japanese homeland. (4) That Allied global strategy should consider the Chinese and European fronts as of equal importance. (5) That the Chinese will never lay down their arms before the United Nations’ cause has been decisively won. (6) That China and America should co-operate, not only for victory, but also for the rebuilding of a new world order. “It is doubtful whether the United Nations could survive many more ‘goodwill’ missions of the same unrestrained and voluble sort,” says the Washington correspondent of the North American Newspaper Alliance in criticizing Mr Wendell Willkie’s utterances. The correspondent adds that his pronouncements have aroused irritation in British and American circles. Observers are now wondering what verbal bombs Mr Willkie will explode in India. While many British and Dutch citizens concede that imperialism is probably on the way out they are not ready to surrender their overseas possessions without an assurance that the private investments of their citizens will be maintained and no worth-while assurance on that score is obtainable now. Furthermore, the British Government is unlikely to agree to abstain completely from political interference in China’s affairs until the necessary assurances have been given. Therefore, the immediate effect of Mr Willkie’s pronouncements may be to stir up dissension among the United Nations. NEW GUINEA FORCES Presence Of Boys Alleged (Rec. 7 p.m.) CANBERRA, Oct. 9. There was an uproar in the Australian House of Representatives when members questioned the Minister of the Army, Mr F. M. Forde, on the presence of boys of 18 years of age in the Australian Forces in New Guinea. Mr Forde replied that the Comman-der-in-Chief had issued instructions that no member of the army under 20 years or who had had less than six months’ training should be sent to a forward area. If it could be shown that the instruction had been disregarded in any particular case he would have it investigated. A member answered: “I will show you hundreds of dozens of them.” A general demand was made that the boys allegedly with the forces in New Guinea should be immediately returned to Australia.