The only English-language paper in Chungking, the "Hankow Herald," editorially expresses the opinion that the occupation of Swatow did not affect the Chinese military strength in the least as the strategical import-arca of Swatow was insignificant "China," the paper continues, "possesses communication with the outside world on more than one route."
The Japanese explanation that the Occupation of Swatow was necessary in order to carry out an efficient blockade of South China, the paper says, is not very convincing. On the one hand Swatow indicated, was not of great importance, on the other hand if an increased blockade of the south coast was considered necessary all the same, it could have been carried out by the Japanese long ago. The-reason for the occupation, the paper suggests, might therefore perhaps have been the necessity for another "Japanese victory."—Trans-Ocean,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.