The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1946-03-30

only AmerieAn-oWned daily. the
Bulletin. Beer. ice and soda pop are
increasing in rationed output,
Housing and hotel space is critical.
The Country Club. renovated, and
the golf course. done over, are In
fine condition. Lumber Is scarce
and so are work animals for the
farms. Sugar will not be exported
for another two years. Native liv-
ing costs are up 500 per cent.
Let's fly several hours north
west on our aerial survey to Pek-
ing. China. The center OF educa-
ton, art and diplomacy is little
changed from pre-war physical APP
pearances. Trade in the nearby
seaport, Tientsin. Is stagnant. Pek-
ing lacks Industrial momentum.
The absence OF imports or exports
means there is no foreign money
available that the Chinese could
use for acquiring new inventories.
Picking Is still dirty. dusty, and to-
day, you would note. shabby.
The people have Jared better
than their relatives In some OF
China's coastal cities. Disease and
starvation have taken horrible
toll. Everyone. even the foreigners
looks poorly clothed. American
mission hospital workers whom the
Japs seized were found in rags and
baretooted after four hard winters
Of internment.
Conditions in Picking will be
worse before they improve. Infla-
ton is gripping the city. Prices are
rising rapidly. Communications are
disrupted. Trains, lacking coal be-
cause OF Chinese Communist inter
ference, are irregular and air line
service Is uncertain. Pressure is so
low that two story house has no
water. The electric power system
has deteriorated. Electric lights are
on about 80 minutes at night.
In Picking, the Japs stripped the
Presbyterian Mission Hospital. All
drugs and hospital equipment were
removed and medical books were
burned. In the basement Of the
beautiful Picking Union Medical
College, the sons OF Hirohito
housed 400 pigs.
We shall end our trip at Shang-
hal. Flying low over the river, you
can count $50 Allied relief vessels
and United Nations warships. Car
20 boats with tons OF relief supplies
are at anchor, awaiting a berth to
discharge their loads. Forty per
cent of the warehouses were de-
stroyed. Such a ships jam hasn't
been known in Shanghai in years.
There Is no hope OF alternating the
congestion until Chinese railroads
and inland waterways ships are
prepared to haul the UNRRA goods
TO up-country cities.
The u. s, Navy took over the
Cathay and Palace Hotels and the
American School. The U. S. Army
grabbed the Hotel Metropole, the
23-story Park Hotel, the Astor
House and Hamilton House, all fine
modern buildings except for the
radiators which the Japs took.
Textile mills. without cotton,
should be making cloth for tens OF
millions who haven't seen q bolt OF
piece goods on a shelf in five years
Womens clothing prices are sky
rocketing. Good shoes are unayail
able. Three different yoltages op
crate in Shanghai, so one needs
special transformer TO meet cleo
trical requirements. Kitchen CAD
gets, coat hangers and furniture
are almost unobtainable. Stree
signs are missing and the dia
phone system doesn't ring.
My conclusion is that big name
cities in the Far East cannot pro
gress until transport, both waite,
and rail, are normal. Increasing sit
down strikes and labor difficulties
along with uncertain. irregular cur
rency conditions will continue =
paralyze all trade.
Although It has few natura
I