The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-17

PreSlQenC SalQ.
 i've had reports from trained economists and trained military. Now l want to report on what you, an average, intelligent civilian, thnk of the situation
 Mansfield spent two months in China, and called att he White House with his report last week, Probably the most important thing he told the President was that the rift caused by Chiang Kali Shek's dislike ol General Joe Stilwell has been healed, and that the Generalissimo is delighted with the new teatm of Lieut.. Gen. Al Wedemeyer, Ambassador Pat rick J. Hurley and Donald Nel- son.
 "If these men had been here year ago" Chiang KaiShek told Mansfield, we would mt have had the bad military situation we have today"
 TRIBUTE TO DONALD NELSON
 The Montana congressman paid tribute, however, to the job Gen. eral Stilwell had done in train ing Chinese troops, and said that some of them are now giving an excellent account of themselves in Burma. He referred especially to the Chinese First and Sixth armies.
 The President asked Mansfield how Americans were now regard- ed in China and got the report the United States now stands 'ace's high. Mansfield went or to say that Donald Nelson had made a splendid impression on everyone and has boosted Chinese morale by promising only what he is certain he can deliver.
 Congressman Mansfield was es- pecially impressed on the way Chiang KaiShek is trying to clean up the bad spots in the Chinese domestic situation.
 When Chiang finds something wrong" Mansfield reported, "he goes after 1t tooth and nail. For instance, he found thatt he peo- pie were upset over the way con- scription was being handled. So he sent his two sons out to make quiet investigation. When they confirmed the report, Chiang per- Sonally went to the office of the conscription director, checked over the evidence and ordered the man jailed and court-martialled.'
 The Montana congressman also had an interesting visit with Maj. Gen. Claire Chennault. head of the Fourteenth Air Force in China.
 CHENNAULT'S TEAMWORK
 T asked General Chennault," he later reported, why he didn't give a build-up to his air aces as they do in other theaters, and thus give the boys credit for the enemy planes they knock off
 What I want" replied Chen nault, lis team. If We publish the statistics. the Japs will lay for our aces and destroy the team Every man in my outfit, eihter on the groundn or in the air, counts just as much with me as the man next to him"
 The Montanan told FDR that just after he reached the United States he learned hat Lieut., Col. Bill Reed of Iowa, who was the Star" of Chennault's team with l6 Jap ships to his credit had been killed in action.
 Mansfield was t- first non- military American ,u ride over that part of the Burma road which has been rebuilt, He also spentt hree days in jeep tour Of the jungle, He found morale magnificent" among thousands ! of American men and the hum dleds of American nurses work ing under difficult conditions at the end Of the Allied supply line,
 One specially significant bit of information Mansfield brought back was that the Americans, Hri- tlsh and Chinese now fighting t0- gelher in Hurma are really get ting along well together for the the first time He paid high tElr hute in his report to Major Genv elal Posting, commander 0l the Rpitieh Holtrtannth ArnaU uhn is