The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-12-19

Hitler whom they prOceeueu Vo ape' Economic and tn ou g ht ponce swarmed everywhere. The thought nclice arrested over a half million people for thinking out of line with the government. Coming from the United States where everybody can voice his thoughts and criticized his government, the gigantic weakness of a totalitarian regime was ap- parent in that it produces a dedaly stagnation. The Japanese who like to discuss affairs freely were compelled to accept the views of a few harried and confused men or keep still.
 1.-TWO things were apparent, first. the Japanese were evidently afraid to discuss the situation of their own country, secondly, for a very practical reason they refused to dis cuss Japanese affairs.
 Chinese To Fight
 when I flew inland to Chung king, capitol of free China, the Chinese were frank in discussing the weakness of their government, the plight of being shutoff from the outside world. In numerous conversations there was no sug- gestion of quitting. Yet in this 200-year old city not single pane of glass remained. By day and on moonlight nights through the sweltering heat of summer Japanese bombers pounded the city. Many of the buildings were so shaken they were on the verge of falling down. On August 18th and 20th two raids with 90 bombers each destroyed three quarters of this ancient city by starting fires that burned for 36 hours. In one square, 5000 persons had been killed by demolition and incendiary bombs. Blasting was going on to create underground shelters in the rock formation for the population. On the streets there was never sign of panic. The Japs had carried total war into China for nearly five years; when they attacked Shanghai in 1897 the military promised the Japanese people China would be subdued in five months.
 "The Japanese lines extended up 1 the YangtZe Valley to Ichang. Mountains and deep gorges separate these forces from the rich populous province of Szechwan Where Gen. eralissimo Chiang Kai-Shek directs operations covering all of China. The Japs can only bomb from Ichang He says the Japanese have stuck their fists in a glue pot The Chinese told me the loss of their cities did not matter; they were willing to sacrifice the mater ial for an ideal
 For Free China
 That ideal is a free China. In many Chinese village schools rag ged, underfed children sang war songs announcing their determina- l tion to drive the Japanese monkey dwarfs into the sea.
 ''The Chinese anti-aircraft burst at 1000 feet, but the Japs flew at 15,000 feet. A hundred bombers would come over Chungking and five or six obsolete pursuit planes would go up to engage them. The Japs fly in geese formation. If the leader can be knocked out it throws the formation into confusion after which single bomber might be engaged.
 Whereas thoughts are considered dangerous in Japan, the Chinese besides being the most civilized of all peoples have an indescribable reasonableness. They always un- derstood what said to them. The most damning thing a Chinese can say about anybody is to say they iare unreasonable. The Chinese say the Japanese are unreason- able. You cannot reason with them," they say
 Rifle Range Is Control Optimism is not cheap. The Chinese leaders are serious about the gravity of the situation. But