Evening star., 1944-11-27
|Chand|er Calls Russia
Key 10 Early Victory
Over War-Rich japan
BY DON S. WARREN.

The most realistic hope" the
Allies now have to shorten a long
and costly campaign against Japan
Is the prospect of eventual Russian
aid. Senator Chandler, Democrat,
Of Kentucky declares.
A frequent critic of British policy,
though not professional twister
of the lions tail, Senator Chandler
reiterated his belief that British
delay In making determined at
tack on the Japs from India early
in l943 had prolonged the war with
Japan.
I'VE today are tasting the bitter
fruits OF the failure of the British
to make an aggressive campaign
then TO reopen Burma and get ade-
quate aid to China" he said yester-
day in an interview on the Far
East situation.
Toured Battlefront.
Japan has had all this time to
consolidate her strength in the
nome Islands and in the colossal
area of China she now controls
an area tremendously enlarged by
the recent Jap drive in Southeast
ern China, which splits Free China
in two and blocks off Allied aid 10
Chang Kai-Shek, except from North
Burma" he stated.
One of five Senators who made
a tour OF world battlefronts a year
ago made talk with Allied Gov
ernment and military leaders. Sen
Iator Chandler said the situation in
China has grown, progressively
worse"
Il do not profess to be a military
| expert" he continued, nor does
one have to be to understand the
tragic effects of the loss of our air
bases in China, which has been de-
veloped by long and painful effort.
The loss of our bases in the Hen
Cyan. Lingling, Kweeilin and Liu-
| choW-which our own forces had to
destroy as the Japs came near on
their drive toward Indo- o-China-is
an illustration of the results of the
failure of the Allies to get real aid
to China, and an illustration Of
Chinas failing strength
Russia Holds the Key.
He predicted that when the Allies
occupy Japan they will find that her
heavy industries and military forces
have been moved to China for a
fanatical and ceaseless war against
US.
"All Of this makes it crystal clear
| that Russia holds the KEY to a VIC
tory that will be complete and time
/ ly," he asserted. In view of Stains
recent speech in which he. for the
first time, branded Japan as an 'ag-
gressor nation it may not be too
much to expect that Russia will
assume an active role in the Far
East after Germany's fall. Russia
could be very helpful to us"
When I was in China, Gen.
Chennault had but SO planes in
operation-a pitifully small number
in the light of the tremendous task
facing him and the Chinese. Gen.
Chennault thought they could hold
onto the American air bases until
greater help came, but I gathered
eilc ulpcSSloA tlldt 1eI. SlllWell
didn't think it could be done
! Senator Chandler declared "the
British are not enthusiastic about
China being strong" The Senator
said he reached this conclusion after
conversations with Prime Minister
/ Churchill. adding, Mr.. Churchill
did not know any reason why China
should have a place at the peace
table as an equal partner. with
Russia, Great Britain and the
| United States. I am convinced that
this is the real reason why the
British have been slow and ap-
parently unenthusiastic about start
| ing an offensive in the India
Burma China field of operations.