Show r Back on Page One THAT WHAT WITH European cabinet ups shake-ups y y Hitler's newest fulminations and other spectacular spectacular spec spec- happenings the Sino-Japanese Sino ruction has been hard put to stay on the front pages of American newspapers But when Chinese bombers paid a visit to the skies over Nippon and dropped lethal missiles on important spots with destructive and deadly effect bold page one headlines proclaimed the news and the event clinched the right of the far east conflict to claim foremost attention once more The air raids gave human nature opportunity to manifest one of its queer quirks When Japanese Japanese Japanese Jap Jap- anese military fliers flier soared over Chinese communities communities com corn to vent their wrath the horror of the consequences stirred American anger and resentment resent resent- ment to a high pitch Even official cognizance was taken of the afflictions caused by the war birds among noncombatant populations and of the destruction of property having no military significance Viewed objectively and dispassionately what difference i is to be found between the bombing of Chinese territory by the Japanese and the parallel action by Chinese airmen over Japanese I communities Still there has been no outcry raised in America No one has felt called upon t to denounce the bombings as an outrage It is just one o of those things It is simply a case of hooray for our side in a country whose Sympathies sympathies sympathies sym sym- from the first have been with th the Chinese and which have grown the stronger in consequence consequence consequence conse conse- quence of repetitious affronts on the part of Japan against American interests and American nationals in the war zone Few persons including the Chinese high command can believe that there is much military importance in the surprise visit of the bombers to Japan It proVes pro scarcely anything pertaining to potential destruction of which a Chinese air armada might be thought capable Beyond any doubt nevertheless there is extremely high importance importance importance im im- im- im to be attached to the wholly unexpected adventure This is revealed in dispatches which a tight wartime censorship permitted to get out of Japan It is highly probable that the damage inflicted exceeded that stated in cabled news from Tokio I also that it was not as extensive as claimed by the Chinese There can be not the slightest doubt that the amazing exploit accomplished exactly what the Chinese sought sought sought-a a terrifying shock to the morale of the civil population of Japan Among the Japanese people the war will not be as popular as it was before the raids when they thought they were safe and secure on their islands It is too much to believe that Japanese officialdom was a as M badly scared as the intensive air defense maneuvers in the homeland might seem at first thought to indicate The people had to be given immediate assurance that the enemy could and would be properly dealt with within within within in the event of a return visit Of course responsible responsible responsible sible military officials in Japan would take all necessary steps to me meet t all aU exigencies exigencies' arising but the wide empire-wide mock alarms and the drilling drilling drilling drill drill- ing of the civil populace went beyond the realities realities realities reali reali- ties of the moment In the lack of any definite information definite information as to the number of military planes quite likely of Russian origin by which the Chinese air force has been augmented there is no ground for conjecture conjecture conjecture con con- jecture as to possible consequences of the new Chinese strategy There has been a pronounced pronounced pronounced pro pro- psychological effect but it seems a re remote remote remote re- re mote possibility that matters may go much beyond that which is of no small importance The bombers have not faced Japan with a serious military crisis though they have put nerves on edge and given officialdom a new internal problem problem lem to deal with one which may assume large political importance If it transpires that Russia has made a large contribution to Chinas China's of offensive offensive offensive of- of power world-shaking world eventualities eventualities' may mayvell maywell maywell well vell be in the making |