The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-07-26
By JAMES r. YOUNG

]. b. Powell, the Missouri news
paper man who risked his life
through repeated editorial exposes
OF Japanese actions In the Orient
and who suffered q horrible two
months In the notorious Bridge
house prison at Shanghai, Is on his
feet again after two miserable years
OF skin grating and surgery in q
New York hospital.
The dean OF American CORES.
pondents In Asia he was No. on
the Japanese list for assassination.
One evening. walking near the
American Club, Shanghai. q hand
grenade was thrown at him, bouno-
ed of his shoulder. but did not ex'
plode.
He was held In q Japanese cell.
10 by 20 feet, with ~ men. women
and children. The only sanitary
facility was q bucket in the corner
OF the crowded, vermin ridden
room. When he was brought out,
Weighing only u pounds. his toes
had fallen on from gangrene which
had set In as n result OF starvation
conditions.
Recently, Mr.. Powell made q trip
to his home state. Missouri, and
rallied sufficient physical strength
to make six war bond talks In Dial.
las and Corpus Christi. Tex.
He deserves special COMPRESSION.
Al recognition for his bravery IN
the Far East. Now that he IL
again active, believe President
Truman should appoint his fellow
Missourian as q special assistant
secretary OF state in charge OF Far
Eastern Affairs.
Our diplomatic policy toward
China for many years has been an
all around raw deal. We made
many diplomatic deals which favor
ed the Japanese. but not once have
we backed up the treaties which we
signed in good faith, guaranteeing
China's territorial integrity.
The Chinese Communist issue 10
closely intertwined with the larg-
err problems OF Russia's relations
with China and the United States.
The Big Three discussions in Rus.
sian controlled Berlin and the re.
cent talks IN Moscow between po-
litically ambitious Chinese Pre-.
mier T. v. Soong and Generalissi.
mo Joseph Stain may be a dull
summer topic to us over here but
any negotiations involving China.
Russia and the United States can
carry explosive possibilities.
In my several interviews with
Mr.. Powell, he blames US for the
military setbacks which so ad.
versely affected our air bases In
China. Similarly, Rep. Walter II.
Judd, noted Minnesota medical
missionary, concurs with Powell
that in our beat Hitler first" cam
paign we gave the Japs the incen-
tive to 20 ahead with their plan 10
split China.
Our War Department campaign.
ers who failed to heed Judd's valu-
able advice or to take Powell into
consultation, should be smoked out.
The blame for losing our air bases
and Heygyang. Kweilin and else
where In China lies in our War De-
partment and not in the War Minis.
try at Chungking. We built air
fields costing millions and requir-
ing two years OF effort but we did
not adequately EQUIP the Chinese
ground troops who were to protect
these bases.
Our military policy in China has
been stupid, yet sur own War De-
partment handouts place the fault
on the Chinese.
Lend lease TO the Chinese army
has been less than a half OF one
per cent of what was shipped to
our own forces In China. The Chi
nese are bitter at the insuficiency
OF Red Cross supplies. They re-
sent, correctly, Red Cross propa-
ganda photos which lead Americans
to thinr that the Chinese are the
major recipients.
China has kept q considerable
portion OF the japanese army. est
mated at a million, occupied on
the continent. as the Russians have
immobilized an estimated 100000
Japanese In Manchuria from action
against US in the Pacific.
Powell is puzzled by the violent
fluctuations OF American sentiment
for China. Newspaper editorials
and radio comment last year prais-
ed the Chinese. Today many edi-
tors and commentators blame the
Chinese for falling to check the
Japs.
Powell asked me, are we such
poor sports that we can only praise
the Chinese when they are win
ning!"
He attributes the changes in sent
iment to Chungkings censorship,
which IL not all Chinese and to
propaganda in the U. g.. by some
Of our own people, which confuses
Americans to an extent that COM
paratively few understand what
goes on. This is particularly true
in the Chinese Communist contro-
versy.
Thu late Wendell Willkie obsery-