Evening star., 1939-01-15

(ThtS Is the second and concluding
article preSente,ng the amds1ng story
OF the Chinese Army, 1Ur1tten by an
Associated Press 7pdr correspondent
Dho has covered the fighting since
the beginning of the conflict 1O,th
Japan. Though DirtuaHy isolated
from the rest OF the 1uorid, so Jar as
supplies are concerned, and dr,uen
to the interior, China, Nth its hit
0nd-run tactics, still is equipped to
check the japanese. The to1oUing
story also reveals the shocking condi-
tions 1Dithtn the Chinese medical
serDiceJ
KWEILLIN, KWansi, SouthWes. China.
-Japan's imminent attempt to cut the
last Chinese transportation routes to the
outside world has raised the question
whether China, without foreign supplies,
will be able to continue its resistance
The answer is yes-and here is a pic
ture of the situation:
With japanese warships standing
guard outside all the Chinese seaports the
only important outlets are the northwest
highway to Russia and southwest routes
through French Indo-China and British
Burma.
The French are already complying
half-heartedly with the Japanese request
to restrict the inflow of Chinese NUM-
tions.
The British have ignored all japanese
appeals, but the highway through Burma
to the Chinese Province of Yunnan will
not be completed for heavy traffic before
March, 1899, and even then the trucking
costs will be extremely high.
The principal foreign supplies which
China has used during the war are heavy
munitions and gasoline. To fight as a
hermit army the Chinese forces must
ultimately give up their heavy artillery.
tanks, air force and most of their mo-
torized transport.
Heavy Toll of Machinery.
The Chinese started the war with II
arsenals most of which could produce
rifles, machine guns and light ammuni-
ton. Only one arsenal could produce
artillery and the capacity for shells and
airplane bombs was very limited.
The gradual migration of Chinese in
dustry, including arsenals to West China,
has taken a heavy toll of machinery,
large amount was bombed or abandoned
along the roads
Today, there is only one large arsenal
In operation, situated on the upper banks
of the Yangtze River in Western SEE
chuan. This is a conglomerate of ma
chinery from the former arsenals at
Shanghai, Hankow and Kunghsen in
Honan.
The new iron and steel plant at
Chungking, producing about 100 tons
of steel day, is the only source of raw
material for the arsenal, although the
Chinese are beginning to realize the value
OF scrap iron which the Japanese have
collected so successfully in Shanghai.
Hankow was stripped fairly clean of
iron goods by the Chinese before they re-
treated in October, even the sewer covers
being removed from the streets
Process Extended to Nanchang.
The same process has now been ex-
tended to Nanchang, the capital of
Kiangsi Province, which is still in Chi
nese hands. Radiators, stoves, awning
frames and even door knobs are being
torn down by troops and shipped west
ward. What use can be made of this
scrap iron remains to be seen, since it is
more than 1000 miles from the Szechuan
arsenal
The Chinese general staff is not much
worried about the three basic needs of
an unmechanized army-food, clothing
and light ammunition.
China's food production for 1888
showed an increase of more than 10 per
cent over the previous five-year average
thanks to favorable weather, reduction
of cotton acreage and the increased use
Of barren hills.
The question of cotton uniforms is
more serious since three quarters of the
nations cotton lands are in the coastal
provinces and the Yangtze Valley. be-
hind the japanese lines. These areas
are still held by Chinese troops, but it is
impossible to send the cotton to the
Chinese mills in Szechuan and Shensi.
BY eking out the military needs with
native weaving and the increase of cot
TON growing in the Southwest provinces
tne government is hopeful that the
clothlng question can be solved during
1889
Ihe supply of small arms ammuni-
tion for rifles, pistols and machine guns
is now estimated by various authorities
to be sufficient for six months to one
year OF continued fighting
Homemade Grenades Used.
Russian trucks are still bringing am
munltlon into Northwest China and
large shipment of German cartridges
reached China through Indo-China after
the fall of Hankow.
This supply together with the feeble
output Of the Chinese arsenal is con-
sidered adequate for at least two years
Of mobile warfare.
The guerrillas in North China have
already demonstrated that when rifle
ammunition is low, the Japanese can
be attacked with homemade hand
grenades, broad swords and s-foot spears,
all smelted from the farmers rice kettles,