It was suggested that as long as guerillas existed, the Japanese Army and Navy would have to supply the Chinese people with goods, to which Admiral No: retorted that they considered the rehabilitation and the supply to the Chinese of materials for reconstruction necessary to and essential to good order. Many goods were supplied to the Chinese free of charge, Hie said; there was no system of barter and the peasants had no money with which to purchase. Much material had been confiscated and sent to Japan as spoils of war, as they might be used for defensive purposes.
The quantity of cargo distributed to the farmers was infinitesimal as com-vared to the huge amount of military equipment necessary for hundreds of thousands of soldiers and allied organizations.
it a fair question to a correspondent, "that impor! are for the Japanese Army and and for reconstruction, while goods shipped out are for the purpose of manufac-uring military supplies?"
In reply Admiral Nomura said that here was no question of "trading" as 10 money was involved. The export-goods were for making military equipment, mostly from confiscated goods. As guerillas infested both banks of the Yangtze. conditions wi not conducive to trade. For instance, it was unbelievable that the Wuhan area was in readiness for large scale soco! as for suggested a correspondent. "We are not at liberty to discuss such questions at this time."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.