Evening star., 1942-04-12
Chinese and Russian Exploits
Called Good Example for u. S..
With Equal Stamina and Competent Leadership
We Should Fare as Well in War as
Two Allies, Observer Says
By Richard L. Stokes.

and by the Japanese practice of using
live Chinese prisoners in bayonet prac-
tice so as to blood" the Mikados new
recruits.
The task of Gen Chang Kai-shek was
to hold his people back until he could
formulate strategy and organize an
army. The latter consists today of a
regular force of 200 crack first-line divi-
sions, numbering 100000 men, highly
trained and disciplined, with reserves of
perhaps 100000 more. They are led by
the youngest group of officers in the
world, outside the Soviet Union.
In the plan of strategy adopted, en-
phasis was placed on guerrilla warfare
and the 'scorched earth" policy carried
to the utmost extremity A flexible de-
fense line was established, $500 miles
long and 10 to 80 miles deep with ma
chine-gun posts, barbed wire and torn-up
roads.
China Confident.
Many of the Chinese victories were
won by permitting the enemy to plunge
headlong into this net, and then drawing
its mesheS about his supply lines and
communications. Relying on mex
naustible man power, masses of human
flesh have been pitted against armored
cars and field guns.
With self-sufnciency in the manufac-
ture of small arms, overwhelming su-
periority in numbers and a morale un-
surpassed throughout the globe, China
is confident that 1t can hold Japan in
the present stalemate. China is con-
fldent also that it needs only modern
weapons in order to launch a counter
offensive that would drive the invaders
into the Seea.
With tragic loyalty, it has waited long
years for the democracies to provide the
necessary equipment Thus far they
have responded mostly with kind words
and loans of money which until recently
were small. In the meantime, as the
ChlneSe were aware, the United States,
British India and the Netherlands East
Indies were pouring into Japan the iron
and steel, the airplanes and engines, the
gasoline and oil. with which cities were
demolished and women and children
slain by the scores of thousands.
If it is too late to profit by the FORE
sight with which Russia began prepar-
ing for war nine years ago, as soon as
Adolf Hitler came to power, there may
still be time to study with advantage
the measures adopted by the Kremlin,
some OF them recent, in its own Job OF
fghting the war. Among principal steps
taken have been the following:
Russia's Formula.
Reduction of civilian consumption to
minimum.
Conversion of 80 per cent of the ma
tional industrial plant to war production.
A tax structure reaching down to the
lowest paid wage Garner
BY decree of last October /, universal
military service for all males between 16
and so years of age.
BY decree of February IA, conscrip-
ton of the entire urban population, male
and female, for war work. Men between
16 and SIS, and women between 16 and
As, are liable for service. Vocation train
ing in war industries starts for boys and
girls alike at IA.
Enlistment of 100000 women in war
production The number for the United
States is 100000. In agriculture, Rus
sian women toll on equal terms with
men.
Enforcement Of three shifts in war
plants and a minimum work week of
six days and 48 hours Voluntary over
time commonly extends the work day
to 10 or IL hours.
Elimination of war profiteering, as a
result of State ownership of capital en-
terprises.
Though trade unionism flourishes, out
lawing of the strike as an obsolete tactic.
Grievances are adjusted at conferences
between management and shop COM
mittees.
An objection may be offered that Rus
sia is dictatorship and that measures
so drastic are impracticable in demo-
cratic America The reply would be that
in war like the present results alone
count