Jap. Menace

Says There Is No Jap. Menace Letter From Interior of Chino

WORLD-WANDERING American journalist Marc. T. Greene writes to the editor of the “P.1.M.” from the interior of Southern China, where he has been taking a look at the war situation. He insists that the Japanese are in a far worse plight than is generally supposed.

Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, December 17.

THIS town, once called Yunnan-fu, but now changed to Kunming, is a true outpost, and the China of a hundred years ago practically unchanged.

Just now, though, it is of importance, because some of the offices of the National Government are here, and if the Japs should take Chungking this will be the next capital.

All sorts of Europeans are here now munitions agents, aircraftsmen, aviators, journalists, spies and persons of indeter minate occupation or reason for being

present.

You get here from the coast by French railway, and it is over that that much of the supplies for the Chinese forces have been coming in. It is the only route now open from the sea to the interior of China, and the Japs, are expected to bomb it any time. They were here in Kunming not long ago, and dropped a bomb on a school, killing more than eighty children. They “mistook the school for a barracks”.

The railway is one of the most re markable in the world, climbing 6,006 ft. from the tropical plain through a ter rain which presented as many difficulties to railway construction as any in the Alps, Andes or Rockies. The scenery is wild and magnificent, the country very little populated.

Only three years ago all of Yunnan Province was in possession of the Com munist bandits. These advanced on this town, and the few Europeans then here all gathered one morning at the station, prepared to evacuate, when word was re ceived that the bandits had turned an other way.

The American Ambassador has just come by road from Chungking, a journey of five days, and tomorrow he is going to attempt to get through to Burma by the new road. That is expected to be the future line of communication for sup plies and so forth to the Chinese armies, in case the railroad to the coast is des troyed.

Life in China is interesting and of a fascinating uncertainty. I am taking a considerable part, in the line of publicity, on behalf of the Chinese.

We all hope, and expect, the Japb. will be beaten. They are making no headway, now, while the morale of the Chinese forces is excellent. The Generalissimo says 10,000,060 men are now under train ing. Much munition supply is coming in from Russia, also from America, England and Germany. Here in Kunming are a number of German munition agents, also airmen.

The guerilla activities are making in creasing difficulty for the Japanese. More than 60,000 are now said to be closing in around Shanghai, so there is likely to be

more activity there. I expect to return

there, presently.

You can tell the Australians they needn’t worry any more about the Jap.

“menace”. Unless we are all wrong up here, or things unlooked-for happen, Japan will presently become a third class Power—if she still exists as anything at all. Moreover, there is much unrest there, and a chance of some sort of explosion at any time. The facts about the Japanese failure in China certainly cannot be kept from the Japanese people much longer.

Miss Olive Cooper, of Benalla, Victoria, was a passenger by the January “Tanda” to spend several months in New Guinea as the guest of Dr. and Mrs. R. W.

Cooper.