Evening star., 1937-10-29
MEXICAN aviators and gun

~
~ planes are doing a good deal
n more to bolster China's resist
snce on the Shanghai front than
presidential speeches and State De-
partment notes. When one American
soldier of fortune serving in Nine.
Chang Kai-shek's special air service
said at Marking recently: There are
more of us over here than you think
I've been elected to do whatever talk
ing has got to be done for the bunch,
but if you knew how many of us there
are here you'd be surprised" He was
not indulging in tall talk.
The chief surprise, however, has
been for the Japanese. A few days
after the latter announced that
China's air fleet had been practically
annihilated, Chinese planes took the
aggressive on the Shanghai front, and
for some days-or more accurately,
nights-enjoyed almost undisputed
mastery of the air. The flyers who
have made this possible are Amer
leans serving in the Chinese air force.
Ever since the outbreak of hos
the beginning of the Shanghai fight
ing on August l3, the Chinese En-
bassy in Washington and Chinese
consulates in New York, Chicago, New
Orleans, Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco have been deluged with offers
from adventurous Americans to help
fight the Japs." One of these Of
fees has received as high as 20 Of
fers In a day. They are made in
person, by telephone. telegraph and
letter. The would-be saviors range
from 16 TO so years of age. Most of
them are flyers, mechanics or gun
ners, and many have had military
experience in some part Of the world
Japanese Offices have received a few
offers also. but Japan uses no aliens
in her military forces. On the other
hand, her public relations depart
ment, as we would call it, operating
under the foreign ministry, uses many
highly-trained foreigners.
Avoid Appearance Of Recruiting.
The Chinese representatives in the
United States endeavor to avoid the
appearance of recruiting, which would
be disapproved by our State Depart
ment. Since there is officially no war
In the Orient, however, and since our
Government has not declared either
eide a belligerent. Americans are free
from the prohibition against enlist
ing in the armed forces of other ma
tions at war and penalty OF loss of
citizenship as applied in the case of
Spain. Many Americans have gone
10 Marking to enlist. And many
American aviators employed in China
st the outbreak of hostilities have
chosen to remain and fight for China
rather than exercise the privilege of
terminating their contracts and re-
turning home.
Contrary to the case of the young
Tacoma, Wash. aviator who was shot
down by japanese near Shanghai in
1882. these men receive no publicity.
American newsreel photographers have
heen permitted to photograph only
one of them in action so far as this
writer knows-a leatherneck indus
triously operating an anti-aircraft gun
st Nanking. Even the spokesman of
the group appears under what seems
to be an assumed name.
Applying characteristic Chinese
thrift to war strategy, Chang Kai-Shek
kept these restless adventurers. as well
as his best planes, in inaction, save
for the protection Of his capital. Nam
king, until the crucial period follow
ing the calling of the Nine-Power Con-
ference. Then, when the japanese
Army opened its supreme offensive
In order to present the Brussels forum
uith q fsit accompli, the generalissimo
sent his American aviators into the air.
They at once baff1ed the invaders by
night flying and bombing, in which
Chinese aviators are unframed. jap
anese flyers and gunners have like
wise had no experience in resisting
night attacks.
Losses Of Planes Put at 50.
The Chinese command is congrstu-
Iating itself upon holding out so long
with such economy of material and
fighting men. They have lost no
more than so planes-these figures
seem authentic-which should leave
them $50 first-class fighting planes of
those already on hand before the out
break of war. These are not enough.
of course, for defending the far-fiung
fronts, key cities and railway arteries,
as is pathetically evident, but it is
remarkable record of economy. The
so lost we're not of the best stuff
In addition, since war began China
has procured at least 80 more planes
of the latest type, mostly British and
imported through Hongkong. With
these and her crack aviators she has
done good job Of protecting Nanking
and has now taken mastery of the air
around Shanghai. She has recently
sent a squadron to the northwest
probably from her 200-odd small and
ancient craft, which are useless around
Shanghai
The Japanese believed they had
bombed many of Chinas good planes
in their home airdromes-slso de-
stroyed essential chemical factories,
arsenals and plants, such as the Cur
tis-built Nanchang airplane factory,
once moved to Nanchang from Hang
chow. But the willy Chinese, lacking
craft and guns to defend these plants,
have placed them on portable basis,
and In most cases what the Japanese
have hit turned out to be the shells
left after the machinery was gone.
This moving about of plants has be-
come part of the Chinese strategy of
wearing out the enemy.
World Opprobrium on Foe.
Even the necessity of leaving popu-
htion centers undefended becomes part
Of the same strategy. The effect on