at Nanking Nanking, May 21.
The National Commission for the Promotion of Aviation, which has. recently been formed by the Government for the custody and receipt of contributions towards the Aviation Fund, was formally inaugurated yesterday at the Overseas Chinese Hostel in the presence of a large hi Jgroup of members of the Commission and distinguished guests, in-[cluding Presidents Wang Ching-wei, Chu Cheng and other Party and Government_ officials. General Chu Pete, Chief of Staff of the Nationfal Government and member of the Standing Committee of the Commi tsien, presided at the ceremony.
In the course of a speech of admonition, President Wang. Ching-wei dwelt upon the importance of developing the country's aviation, He deplored the inferiority of China's air force and pointed out that unless a strong air force was built up, the country would continue to be at the mercy of any State Jwhich possesses strong air forces.
Continuing, President Wang said that China's' failure in the Sino-Japanese hostilities at Shanghai and jin_north China was attributable largely to the aerial attacks made by the Japanese. He pointed out that had the enemy planes used poison gas, whole populations might have been'wiped out. The import-Jance of air forees in national defence could not therefore be overemphasised. President Wang con-Jeluded with the hope that members of the Commission would do everything in their power to assist the Government in building up a strong: air force, The Commission is composed of forty members, including such well-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.