Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-28
China Asks Aid
500 Planes Held Able to
Clear Skies
BY CLARK LEE.


1t will require hundreds and hundreds
of airplanes and scores Of ships to i'm
plement President Roosevelt's promise
of more help to China but the tremen-
dous efforts will be more than repaid
by the effects of hitting Japan where
it hurts
What China wants first of all is air
planes-cargo carriers, big bombers and
fighters
All Of them, plus all their spare parts
ammunition, gasoline, bombs and crews
will have to be flown in to China.
The shortest route is over the noun
tains from Calcutta, India, to Running
In the deep interior of Southwestern
China. In fact, that is almost the only
route left at present. inasmuch as our
Soviet allies will not risk war with Japan
by letting us fly the Alaska Siberia
China route.
Ship Route Arduous.
To reach Calcutta with supplies from
American ports, freighters must pound
for many days down and across the
South Atlantic, round the Cape of Good
Hope, and then climb laboriously up the
other side of the world to India
From Calcutta, fighter planes equip
ped with extra gas tanks can easily make
the 900-mile flight to Running or to
othre nearby Chinese airfields. But then
they are tied to the ground until big
cargo planes fly in enough gasoline to
enable the fighters to perform some COM
bat mission.
Every .50-caliber bullet, every bomb,
every replacement part and piece OF
repair equipment also must be flown
over the lofty, storm-to mountains.
The distances are 50 great that the paw
load OF cargo planes is limited by the
amount OF gasoline they must carry for
their return flights.
Job Can Be Done.
The job is staggering in its proper
tons but 1t can be done and has been
done on small scale during the past
year.
AS Nine. Chang Kai-shek reminded a
White House press conference in dis
cusslng the subject, "the Lord only helps
those who help themselves"
For the past year Brig. Gen. Claire
Chennault's American Air Force in China
has been carrying on at intervals hoard
ing its gasoline and bullets for occasional
offensive or defensive operations which
have been followed by long periods when
the planes were earth-bound for want of
supplies.
China's demands are not excessive
T. V. Soong has asked for 100 cargo
planes to supply the needs of Chinese
industry. Col. Robert Scott, commander
OF fighters under Chennault, said that
with only 500 fighter planes in constant
operation the American Air Force could
drive the japanese from the skies of
China.
Should Seek Bases.
The Chinese armies have neither artil-
lery nor airplanes. It seems manifestly
impossible to carry artillery into China
by air, but planes can be flown in and
can be used as artillery in supporting Of
fensives by Chinese ground troops
Such of1ensives would be aimed pri-
marily at getting air bases within bomb
ing range OF key Japanese positions in
China and Of the Japanese islands them
selves.
OF course, with each advance the
supply lines behind us would be length
ened and the task Of keeping our air
force in operation would be magnifed.
The answer to that Is more cargo planes
Japan's great industrial cities, her
shipyards and naval bases, are all we'll
within range of airfields which the
Chinese have already built near the Pa
ciflc coast in areas which the japanese
armies have not yet occupiou
China Wants Attack Now.
The Chinese believe that we should
make every effort-whatever the cost
to hit Japan now, while the japanese are
still vulnerable to air attacks and before
they complete the job of consolidating
their positions in the Pacific and on the
Asiatic mainland
The Japanese are thinly spread Heavy
attacks on their strongholds in China
might force them to withdraw from
Burma-thus permitting reopening Of
the Burma road for supplies or from
some Of the other conquered territories.
There are many roads to Toxic, as
President Roosevelt said But there is
no royal road, no easy path The air
route through India is one of the most
difficult, but it is one that is open to us
now and one that might pay the biggest
immediate dividends by keeping China in
the war and by softening up Japan for
our ultimate invasion.