News of the Week
HA/sTKOW has never been successfully defended in a Chinese War because it is an almost indefensible town. The quick retreat of the Wuhan force before the Nanking Nationalists need not, therefore, be necessarily regarded as a sign of a Wuhan collapse. Everything will depend, as we have pointed out in a leading article, upon what support Wuhan may obtain in the next few days or weeks. If support is forthcoming; and perhaps even without it, the Wuhan leaders may make their stand and develop their strategy (as the Shanghai correspondent of the Times thinks) between the provinces of Hunan and Biangsi. It is significant that the Kwangsi forces sent in aid of Wuhan are already arriving in Hunan. We have praised elsewhere the restraint of Japan in making liberal concessions to China and promising to evacuate Shantung within two months. No doubt the pledge is sincere, but it must be remembered that the Nanking Government has guaranteed the safety of every Japanese in Shantung. Since this bargain was struck Chang Chung- chang haS begun to overrun Shantung and it might become impossible for Nanking to protect all the Japanese in the presence of Chang's unbridled soldiery, most of whom will be " living on the country.",
