Evening star., 1940-06-24
Closing Of Burma Road
Would Be Big Blow to China
By FRANK SMOTHERS,


SHANGHAI, June "a (By Radio) -
A new threat to the entire cause
of Chinese resistance grew today
as Japan. over the week end, put
ominous pressure on Great Britain
to close the vital Burma road supply
route to Chungking.
simultaneously, with the declara-
ton in Toxic that the Japanese gov
eminent is seeking to block war
supplies for Chinese armies by the
Burma route, the high command Of
the Japanese expeditionary forces
in South China announced on Sat-
urday in Canton that Japanese
forces had started operations in the
area north of Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, the British mill
tary authorities said the japanese
had previously announced to the
British the intention to occupy Ser
tain areas adjacent to the colony
for the purpose of cleaning up
Chinese guerrillas" There was no
undue cause for alarm, the explana-
ton by the British military added.
Forebodings Mount.
Nevertheless, both there and in
Shanghai, forebodings mounted to-
day that one of the purposes OF the
Japanese military operations so near
Hong Kong is to raise the military
threat to the existence of the crown
colony in order to try to win British
agreement to cut the traffic from
Burma, to Generalissimo Chang
Kai-shek's armies.
Confidence in the Japanese mo-
tives was not improved by an in
spired Domei (Japanese) News
Agency dispatch from Canton late
Saturday declaring that operations
north of Hong Kong were designed
to blockade the area and end
'profiteering" by British merchants
In Hong Kong who had taken ad-
vantage of the absence of japanese
troops in that area" 1t is believed
the Japanese are unlikely to at
tempt to seize Hong Kong at this
tuncture.
Blow Would Be Great.
II the British yield to japanese
pressure to close the Burma road,
the blow to China would be very
great. The Burma road is one Of
the only two major routes remaining
open for war supplies for Chiang's
armies in the interior, following the
capitulation of PROSTATE France, last
week, to Japanese demands for the
virtual closing of Indo-China route
to Chungking.
Should the British close the Burma
road, the only remaining major route
from abroad-save by air-to centers
of Chinese resistance would be the
Russian overland route by way Of
Lanchow. To what extent a great
Soviet effort could make it counter
balance the loss of the Indo-China
and Burma routes Is a complicated
question.
Stand Unchanged.
The leaders of the Chinese gov
ernment, since the victory of Ger
many over France and its implica-
tions for the Far East, have dimin-
ished not in the least their resolute
declarations that free China is going
to carry on resistance against Japan.
They have stated recently that they
have war supplies for long period
ahead. Recent visitors to Chungking
have been impressed with the pro-
duction of light arms within free
China. Nevertheless, the cutting oil
Of the Indo-C China Yunnan route for
gasoline and trucks and other sup
plies was serious blow. The cutting
Of the Burma road would be more
serious.
One of its probable results, insofar
as the logic of geography indicated
would be to force the Chinese gov.
ernment to turn increasingly tt
Moscow for support. It already i.
turning increasingly to America
In this connection the plane trip o1
former Finance Minister DR.. T. v
Soong to America is attracting thu
most widespread attention today.
Want U. S. Funds.
America, as seen by the Chinese
can help by increasing the scope o.
embargoes as they apply to Japan
by advancing funds to China, and
as long as the Burma road is OPEN
by sending supplies: over that route
The existing, additional "Ningpt
route" from China's east coast, Il
Of minor Importance and can b'
cut by the Japanese If they wish.
With the wish obviously father Il
the thought, the Japanese-so anx
3ous to get the wearing war Il