Evening star., 1943-02-19
Nine. Chang
Reassured on
Aid 10 China
Land Will Be Base
For Blast at Jops,
President Tells Her
BY GARNETT ID. HORNER.

President Roosevelt declared
today at a joint press conference
with Nine. Chang Kai-shek that
the Allies are going to use China
as base of operations to hit di-
rectly at Japan just as fast as the .
Lord will let us.
The wife of Chinas generaliSSimo
was asked if she had any suggestions
on how the plans for effective aid to
China could be speeded. and replied
that she understood the Lord will
help those who help themselves.
Nine. Chang said the big question
is how munitions, with which Ameri-
cans could best help the Chinese,
are to be delivered to China, and
that she felt this problem could
safely be left up to Mr.. Roosevelt.
Record Press Conference.
Nine. Chang Joined the President
in answering freely many questions
about the problems of carrying on
the war against Japan before one
of the largest press conferences in
White House history. She sat be-
tween him and Mrs. Roosevelt dur
ing most of the conference, rising for
a preliminary greeting to the press
and to answer specific questions.
Mrs. Roosevelt did not take part in
the discussions.
Members of the White House staff
peered in from the corridors hoping
for a glimpse of Nine. Chang, who
sat in one of Mr.. Roosevelt's big
armchairs, her feet failing in several
inches to reach the floor Again, as
on every appearance thus far in
Washington, she wore an ankle
length black dress with a collar high
on the neck.
The President had told reporters
not to attempt to ask any catch
questions and Nine. Chang said she
was sure she would not be heckled
with any.
After Nine Chang said she was
content to leave the problem of get
ting munitions to China to the Pres
ident, he pointed out that the major
difficulty was transportation and
said no question was being given
more study than this one now.
Declaring that the United States
is just as keen to knock out Japan
as China is, Mr.. Roosevelt said he
hoped and believed that the process
is going to be increased reasonably
fast.
He recalled that he had pointed
n IN hi - l.
Correspondents Association last
week that it was not enough to move
forward inch by inch against Japan
by attacking them island by island
up from the South Pacific. He said
obviously the way to hit the Jap
anese is to cut their line of pro-
tectlve island bases up near the top
close to Japan itself
Plan to Cut Jap Line.
That can be done and is going to
be done, the President asserted,
using China more and more as a
base Of operations.
Emphasizing that this is a per-
fectly definite policy, he added that
the plans involve not only cutting
the line of japanese bases but hit
ting at Japan itself.
This raises obvious questions. he
pointed out, of when-how soon
the plans might be made effective
and whether they cannot be speeded
up.
All he can say in regard to such
questions, the President added, is
that we are going to do it Just as
fast as the Lord will let us.
Everybody in Washington is
pledged to hurry it up and increase
it and make China probably the
most important base of operations
against the common enemy, he de-
clared.
No Change in Policy.
In response to questions. he said
this did not mean any change in
policy but rather a greater emphasis
on the ways and means of achieving
detectives
Mime. Chang rose with sparkle
IN her eyes. when she was asked if
she had any specific suggestions for
stepping up aid TO China and the
general plans for an offensive
against Japan itself. recalled the
Presidents remark that it will be
done as fast as the Lord will let us
and said she might add that the
Lord will help those who help them
selves.
Mr.. Roosevelt said the American
people are all for sending more ml-
nitionS to the Chinese, but he point
ed out that this cannot be done di-
rectly except by air over the route
from the Southwest. Transport
planes. he said, must carry not only
enough gasoline to get them into
China, but enough for their return
to their bases, and still find room for
munitions and the supplies to keep
fighting planes going in China itself.
Haven't Fought Alone.
Commenting on a question about
American air forces in China, Nine.
Chang said that the American
Volunteer Group not only has given
material aid and helped to prevent
indiscriminate bombing of civilian
centers, but also brought to the
Chinese the feeling that America
really is with them in the common
cause of combating aggression
She said she thought the greatest
help is in the thought that the
Chinese have not fought and bled
alone
She said she had been on all the
active war fronts in China and
never had known the fear of Japa-
neSe swords, but she was not quite
sure whether she was afraid to face
the American press with its pencils
streaking across the pages of note
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