The result of the latest air-raid over Shanghai should reinforce Mr, Nelson Johnson's protest to the Government at Nanking. In flying over the International Settlement at night Chinese airmen are at a great disadvantage if accuracy in the search for a target be desired. So far much damage has been done to the property of Chinese citizens and the military value of these raids cannot be said to be impressive, whereas in other adventures, notably in the defence of Nanking, Chinese aeroplanes have proved their worth. Mr. Johnson's plea is deserving of careful consideration by the Chinese authorities for it certainly is not their desire that their own countrymen should suffer as the result of the operations of the Air Force. The prompt expressions of horror which were evoked by the early tragedies of Aug. 14 were followed it was understood by the issue of precise instructions for avoiding the risk of flying over the Settlement, To this point Mr. Johnson has now rightly drawn attention. Japanese airmen are also involved, for their flights over the Settlement can still be noted. Although they have so far been comparatively free of criticism on account of bombs dropped within Settlement limits—yesterday unhappily provided another exception—the risks involved by activities against which diplomatic protests have been made cannot be overlooked.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.