The world at large has regarded the various promises and assurances given by Japan since the outbreak of the China Incident with such a degree of pardonable scepticism, that when Japanese spokesmen give utterance to declarations which in fact reveal the true state of affairs, their remarks Evacuation of Cities One of the principal problems arising from the threat of air bombing to important cities considered of military value is the evacuation of the civilian populations. Much effort has been expended on defining the precise status of a city of military value with the idea of obtain-some sort of immunity for non-combattants, but the widespread nature of national effort necessary in the modern conception of warfare precludes any definition of this status, and it can generally be assumed that in a future war few points can be excluded from attack. The day's news draws attention to this point, In Chungking, China's war-time capital, regular raids are being undertaken by the Japanese air forces, and while it remains the capital of the country no cessation can be expected although, in many aspects, it may be considered a civilian population. While it remains capital the very fact of its existence constitutes an objective. Singapore is another case. After much consideration, the authorities It you have any ideas of your own keep them to yourself, Make up your mind that authority is always right, particularly when it is manifestly wrong, writes Nat Gubbins to the "Sunday Express." This point of view and a loud voice should win you easy and rapid promotion.
For instance, when the orderly officer visits the mess at dinner time and shouts "Any complaints?" do not complain in any circumstances whatever. Although the military authorities recognize your right to complain, they will never admit that you have anything to complain about, It is better to go without your dinner than to be marked down for the rest of your military career as "that man with a grievance."
It is even better to eat the dinner and have a rest in hospital. Always remember that however innocent you may be, the Army can always find a crime to fit you.
You can be put on a "dirty" fatigue, and while being deprived of an opportunity to wash yourself, be crimed for having dirty finger-nails. Do not allow your sense of justi to be outraged by this. For one thing, there have decided that evacuation of the civil popula-create no particular surprise, and are almost no justice in the world, anyway, and for antion to rural camps is impracticable as it would taken for granted, That is singularly true other, it is only intended as a test of your entail more hardships in removing this popula-of the statement made by the spokesman of sense of discipline and to teach you to recognize tion than relying on the effectiveness of its the Foreign Office in Tokyo on Thursday. the omnipotence of authority, defences to prevent or minimize attacks. As It you can stand this sort of thing without last, when he said inter alia: regards Paris, a system of highways control has complaint they will probably make you an un-"Japan is just now taking actions in China, been devised whereby in case of emergency paid lance corporal (lucky you.)
with its national destiny at stake, under con-1,000,000 people can be evacuated within 20 The greatest asset in the Army is to have a ditions tantamount to war. The object of hours and the city's exits have been improved face which is entirely expressionless. As this these actions is to place the sovereignty of to permit of such a wholesale removal of the can only be acquired by long service, recruits China under the control of Japan. In the population. A similar system has been devised light of this circumstance Japan should be for London, which, judged by modern standards, must do their best to avoid showing their feelings.
regarded as placing the entire territory of is within a few minutes' bombing distance from During inspections never look at the officer the Continent For some time past, test China under Japanese control. who is inspecting you. If he speaks to you schemes for transferring children to more re-As was pointed out in yesterday's leading (through an N.C.O)) answer the N.C.O., but do mote and unmilitary points in the country have not look at the eyes of either of them. For article the past two years have seen a series been carried out, and a larger scheme for imsome reason which has never been explained, of gradual transitions in which Japan has proving principal highways and exits to enable officers cannot bear to be looked in the eye by ceased to be the friend of China, forced more rapid transference of people to what might be private soldiers. In fact, it makes them feel-so in sorrow than in anger to take action considered safety zones has been prepared and uncomfortable that they are quite likely to against her, desiring no territorial aggrandiseit is reported that it has reached a point where-shift their eyes to your feet and crime you for ment, and promising integrity and full by it may now be assumed that the bulk of dirty boots, whether they are dirty or not. London's civilian population can be removed sovereignty to China which would co-But even if you are spotlessly clean, punctual with the transport resources available in the operate with her in establishing and main-to the second, cheerful and willing in all cir-metropolis. Events of recent years have taining peace in Asia, and has now become, cumstances, and as blameless as a kitten, auemphasized the urgency of such action although what it is believed she always was, a nation thority always has one last card to play. If the sanctity of humanitarian obligations re-authority doesn't like you, which is frequently bent upon the subjugation of the whole mains a hope—but, at the best, a forlorn hope. the case, authority can crime you for dumb country and its subordination to Japan. The Spain and China have furnished disastrous but insolence. various offers of peace which have been made useful lessons. Albania might have added to This is the crime of being critical of authority by the Japanese most certainly promised the warning if the 400 Italian aeroplanes over without saying anything—which, you must ad-that China's territorial integrity and inde-the capital had dropped bombs instead of mit, is often the deadliest criticism of all. As pamphlets. Civilian populations may not be pendence should be preserved. There were proof of this crime involves the gift of thought-directly connected with the fighting forces, but limitations upon that, such as the demand reading (not very well understood in the while they produce the men who constitute the for the establishment of Japanese garrisons Army), nobody bothers to prove it, armies, manufacture the munitions, and maintain There are many other crimes recruits can in various parts of the country, but, what-the morale necessary for waging successful commit, like losing socks, or neglecting to keep ever were the Japanese intentions at the warfare they will be as great a target as the their rifles clean, or letting their hair grow time, Tokyo most certainly wished the world soldiers in the trenches. too long. at large to believe that it was embarked In fact, for the first week or two it will seem upon no war of conquest against China, but impossible to do anything without committing was merely engaged in seeking to remove Not Jingoism a crime, And as doing nothing is also a crime, from power its government which was dis-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.