Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-07-10
DRES ENT ROOSEVELT

DRES IDENT ROOSEVELT
Il told his press conference
that the war in China is not
going well.
Outstanding successes OF the
navy under Adm. NimitZ in the
Pacific. especially on Saipan at
the cost of very heavy casual
ties 10 us and much heavier
losses to the japanese. is tend
ing 10 shift the center of war
in the Pacific TO Japan proper.
hut still more so to the conti-
nent of Asia.
THIS is becoming more ap-
Il parent with every day the
Japanese forces advance SOUTH
ward from Changsha and north
ward from Canton along the
Hankow railway. splitting China
from the Great Wall in the
north To Indo-China in the
south. Not much more than a
gap OF about 80 miles sepa-
rates the two spearheads of
the Japanese divisions.
OptimiSts are certain we will
again have the Philippines this
autumn. These do not seem 10
include Gen. Marshall or Adms.
King and Nimitz, who have once
more warned against too high
expectations in Europe. as we'll
as in the Pacific in too short
a time.
There persists a view in sec
tons of the public that the navy
and air force can pretty well do
the job of defeating Japan by
themselves. TT g impression is
erroneous. 1t may in part he
due TO the newspaper headlines
and radio announcements which
have featured the successful
naval and air operations and
made less mention of the land
forces of Gen. Macarthur.
IT is a mistake TO assume or
L believe Japan will be brought
10 our terms without Mac
Arthur's hard fighting Ameri-
can and Australian infantry,
supported by much artillery and
many tanks and planes.
The loss of the Philippines
by the japanese is almost GER
tain 10 cause them 10 shift the
center Of gravity of the war
south of Japan proper to China.
SEVEN years Of war with its
~ priVations. misery, starva-
ton. initiation. lack or organi-
cation. very heavy casualties
and almost unbroken series OF
defeats have made the Chinese
the most war weary people in
the world. II is taking all the
face and influence Of Chang
kai-Shek. combined with some
Of his ruthless dictatorial meth
DDS imposed on him by the
gravity Of the situation. to keep
the Chinese in the war.
China is house divided. and
divided in three ways or parts.
The Chinese Communist party
occupying kanSu and ShenSi
provinces. which fought shout
der 10 shoulder with Chang
kai-Sheks national army
against the Japanese, is no
longer fighting since the rift
between ChungkIng and Mos
cow. All efforts 10 bridge the
! gulf between them seem to have
failed.
I'm Marking sits Wang Ching
L Wei. former friend and coll
laborator of Chang Kai-Shek,
now national president of the
Republic OF China" under the
auspices and wing Of Japan. His
platform is cooperation be-
tween China and Japan
Nine. Wang, a member Of the
powerful Chen family and clan,
plays as big and important a
role. but somewhat less public
in political councils. in Marking
as Nine. Chang kai-shek does
in Chungking. The role and in
fluence Of Chinese women in
the life Of China is much under
estimated in this country.
In Yenan is the headquarters
Of Ma TSo-Tung. the COmmu-
mist president or chairman. and
of Chu Teh. leader of the Conn
muniSt army. A fourth element
is Marshal Yen Shi-Shan. ia
nous Chinese model governor,
neither Communist nor national
list. He runs small state or
region on very DTaCtlC9l CO.