To the Editor of the "Nonru-CHmwA Day News"
Sm—I do not know how many Japanese aircraft fell into the river last night, but, at 648 pin. (rom a distance of about 300 feet) I saw what was apparently ^a Japanese land plane dive into the Whangpoo opposite Hunt's Wharf about 300 feet from the shore of Pootung Point and only a few feet from the Shanghai Tug and Lighter Co's tug Saucy and other stationary moored small craft. The plane had circled over the river several times, was flying low and seemed to be in difficulties. It was showing three red and three green "navigation" lights on the wings and the cruiser Idzumo was apparently trying to flash a signal to it as well as playing. a searchlight across the river before it struck the water.
Japanese small craft from two destroyers of the Mth. Flotilla close by were on the scene at once and, later, many others appeared from the Idzumo and other Japanese war vessels. The damaged plane drifted downstream for a few hundred feet with only the tail visible.as it stood upright in the water. It was then towed slowly alongside the Idzumo, -Many searchlights from Japanese vessels were played-on the seen of the crash and vicinity but 1 could not see any of the occupants of the plane in the water. Your information from. Yangtszepoo would therefore seem to be somewhat inaccurate.
You also have a leaderette in your issue for to-day in which you appear to. disagree with wife-beating by officers of the Army of the U. S. S. R.
I am an englishman, but I can inform you in the interests of accuracy that, if you had had as much experience as a Shanghai journalist should have, you would know darned well that practically every Russian wife should be beaten once or twice per month whether she needs it or not. This also goes for a good many other kinds of wives.
Accuracy.
Shanghai, Mar, 3.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.