Evening star., 1937-12-09
SO0NG SEES JAPAN
NEARBANKRUPTCY
China Plans a Defense 1t
Can Afford-Lacks
Mechanization.
BY MONA GARDNER.

SHANGHAI (By AirmaiD IT pre-
dict that within three months--pro-
vided we can hold out, which / am
sure we can-Japan will be on the
brink Of bankruptcy and facing revo-
luton"
This was TIE emphatic declaration
Of T. v. soong, head Of the Bank Of
China and brother OF Nine. Chang
Kai-shek, in an exclusive interview.
1T will take the japanese people
sc or 40 years to pay for the present
war in China" the former finance
minister said. "They are already re-
Voting at the idea Of pouring their
men and money into . war that will
bring Japan nothing but added bur-
dens and trouble.
War Matter Of Dollars.
"This war has become . matter Of
dollars. From now on our defense
will cost one-tenth what the Japanese
must spend to maintain their invading
force.
China will not wage q highly
mechanized war. Our government
has laid plans for a resistance which
we can afford. 1t will be effective
because it will cost the Japanese Army
100000 yen (about $4,000, ,000) a
day. Every day the war is prolonged
every bomb the Japanese drop and
every barrage their warships lay down
shoVes Japan further into bankruptcy.
Japan'S finances soon will crack under
the colossal strain.
On this new basis, China's finances
are adequate for two, three, or even
four years of resistance. China's
| actual reserve of wealth in the coun-
| try has never been dug into before.
Its amount Is incalculable. The
hoardings Of 100000 people, who
are now willing to give down to their
last penny, even to gold wedding
ornaments, to rid the country of all
menace of Japanese militarsts, can
not be computed.
Customs Loss Not Fatal.
When our government lost the
customs revenue and the industrial
support from Shanghai it was q Grip
| FNNo DAo"p ooS INV i.
loans and liberty bonds are now
more than making up for this. All
classes OF people are subscribing-city
| oWellers, farmers, students, women,
even the poorest ricksha coolies are
coming forth and buying 81 bonds.
1t Is our principal source Of income
| now.
No increase is contemplated at
present IN taxes or customs duty
Nor does the government plan to
impose provincial import and EXPORT
excise taxes. These may come later
but they will only be used as a last
resort.
TO prepare our country further for
the prolonged war we must face, large
levies of troops are now being raised
in each province. Maintained by pro-
vincial funds, these levies create a vast
reserve in man power for guerilla war
fare, and also provide fresh and strong
requirements for the central army.
Chinese Soldiers Paid Little.
Their cost Of maintenance Is com.
paratively small. Chinese soldiers are
willing to fight this patriotic war
against aggressors for a wage of as
cents (Chinese currency q day. They
live uncomplainingly on a Spartan
diet OF dried meat cakes and dough-
balls. Over half their uniforms are
made and donated by various women's
aid associations. Rifles and ammuni-
ton are the most expensive part of
their equipment.
When the government needs more
cash for such equipment, it will be
forthcoming from the people 1t is
their war and they are eager and will
ing to pay for it to defend their homes
and to keep their families from be-
coming slaves of Nippon"
tcopyright. 1887. BY the North American
| Newspaper Alliance Inc)