The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-05-14
By OWEN LATTlMORE
Wr;tten for the United Press

ITP1 Reports of a japanese
drive to cut China's line of com
munication through Central ASIA
to the Soviet Union are a REMIND
or that, as a matter of fact, the
Japancse have been stalled Tor
months in the effort to advance
along the Inner Monaghan corfl-
dor towards China's little known
far west.
Fast-moving Japanese units in
the first months of the war TOOK
the whole of the railroad that
runs northwest from Pclplng
along the edge of Inner Mongolia
to Paotou, on the great north
bend of the Yellow river. There
thew stuck. They had got to the
jumping off place, but they have
never been able to jump more
than so. miles beyond the railway.
Nor ran they get any farther un-
les sthey can win to their side the
, more than half independent Chi
nese. Mohamedans who have al.
ways held the gates to Central
Asia. Sc.
Accordingly, Japanese sources
have now let out the tip that the
] Mohammedans are about to rise
I'D and bar the road between the
Chinese, whom they hate, and the
bolsheviks, whom they fear.
Between five million and 10
million Mohammedans live in the
northwestern provinces of kansu
and Ninghsa. In the last century
these people rcbcllcd repeatedly
against the Chinese. In one OF
these wars, which lasted for eight
wears, it is estimated that A.
100000 people were killed. The
Chinese won. but ever since they
have handled the Mohammedans
warily, leaving them under the
rule Of their own chiefs. In the
last 80 years the power and num-
bcrs of the followers of the
prophet have again increased. AL
though they form only about a
third of the population in the
provinces where they are strong,
thew have been demanding the
provincial government be deliver
ed into their hands, giving them
the power Of rule over the Chi
ncsc majority.
Then came the Chinese Com
munists, breaking into the north
west and the Moslem territory at
the end of their famous long
march. For fear of the reds, the
Mohammedans had to let Marking
troops come in and garrison their
strongest points. In so doing, they
lost large part of their indie
pcndcncc.
/ Now both government troops
/ and reds have turned about to
face the Japanese. What Japan is
counting on is the Willingness Of
the MoSlcm leaders to strike the
/ Chinese in the back, winning for
themselves a greater independ-
cncc than they ever ha dbefore,
in alliance with Japan. Will the
plan work?
1t will not. 1t looks good, but
it is too. late. The Communists
beat the Japanese to it. They
/ pointcd out that both Mohamme-
dams and reds are minorities,
whose best chance is alliance with
Chang Kaishck in return for
freedom to organize within their
own territories.
Less than year ago | was up
in that country, and / found that
non Communist Mohammedan
battalians were already serving
with the rcd army. Since then,
because Of the vital supply line
from the Soviet Union running
through Mohammcdan country,
| the Chinese government has had
to increase its fayors to the Mos
lens. 1t can only hold them on
it's side by giving them fair and
generous treatment. In other
! words, the Mohammedans already
have from the Chinese what the
Japanese are only promising
them. They have something Of
their own, and they will defend it.
At the same time, they can see
that in spite of Japan's promises
and prophecies, no popular Inner
Mongolian movement in support
of Japan has developed. Japan's
prospects in drive forward from
Inner Mongolia to the Moslem
northwest are therefore very
shaky. The Mongols are standing
aside and letting them do all the
work. The Moslems are waiting
to sec them get tangled up in the
! mixed wilderness of sand dunes
and mountains that lays traps for
mechanical forces west of the
railroad, if the japanese drive de-
/ velops at all, it will lead to the
greatest disaster in tho m;l;tory