It is little dimeult to foresee what use General Chen Chi-tang intends to make of the aeroplanes at his disposal s0 long as the loyalty of his aviators is so doubtful that he has to keep them short of petrol to prevent them from flying over to the Government side, as described by this journal's Canton correspondent. Aeroplanes are, of course, pretty toys and they are expensive. Circling
Impress a populace that is not aware ver the City, of Rams they may that they carry only enough "juice"
deomes. But most wi to, sce them beck, to. ther aero: agree that when the usefulness of 2 weapon of war is limited to making gestures to encourage and stimulate non-combatants—well, there is something Gilbertian about, the situation that calls for comment. General Chen Chi-tang is reported to be assembling as quickly as possible a number of new machines that he has just purchased. But for what, Purpose? To ensure that they are not' flown over to the enemy he must keep them so short of fuel that they cannot reach those lines; and the consequence of such a move would be to make it impossible for them even to approach the lines if they are to return successfully to their hangars. General Chen's prob-ems are not confined to his air force, however. There seem to be many more desertions than those among, his fying men, even the mayor of Canton and the chairman of the Kwangtung provincial government preferring to watch his defence of his satrapy from the safe distance of Hongkong. His generals likewise re lukewarm in their support, not from patriotism then from the lure of a new currency properly backed by silver. dri all, General Chen's position is not a happy one.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.