CHINA’S PART

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 March 1942, Page 3

CHINA’S PART

MAY BECOME OFFENSIVE BASE REPORTED AMERICAN PLANS. ASSISTANCE FROM INDIA. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, March 4. Lieutenant-General Stillwell, former military attache in Peiping, has arrived at Chungking on a special mission for President Roosevelt. Informed quarters in Chungking believe that the visitor is to collaborate with General Chiang Kai-shek in planning an offensive in which United States planes would attack from Chinese bases within striking range of Japan. Senator Connally, chairman of file Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said today that the committee had been greatly encouraged after hearing the reports of Dr. Owen Lattimore, political adviser to General Chiang Kaishek, and Mr Manuel Fox, economic adviser to China. Mr Connally forecast that the Chinese armies might become a great offensive factor in the war, provided that America was able to deliver sufficient planes, tanks and heavy guns to China. Both Dr. Lattimore and Mr Fox, he said, assured the committee that General Chiang was confident that China could defend the Burma Road successfully and believed that the Allies could safeguard the approaches to the road, connections with which were being made via India. The President of China, Lin Sen, in a broadcast to India today, thanked India for her co-operation and participation in the war against Japan, and added: “The world will necessarily be different after victory, and India will demonstrate a new glory in the world.” He explained that it was General Chiang Kai-shek’s mission in India to discuss concrete plans of co-operation and establish a common goal for both countries. Lin Sen concluded: “The Chinese and Indians are united for the destruction of the forces of aggression.” Informed quarters in Chungking interpret this radio address as evidence that General Chiang recently won promises of substantial war aid from India.