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China's First Woman Flier Arrive Here for 
'It's Fun to Be Free'

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Lee Ya - Ching Certain Chaing Kai Shek Will Win

BY JEWEL CLAITOR

While General Robert E. Lee's birthday was being observed in New Orleans today, another Lee came to town to work for the freedom in which he believed.

Lee Ya-Ching, China's first womna flier, who arrived on the transport plane from New York this morning to participate in the "It's Fun to Be Free" show tomorrow, explained that her first name was her Chinese surname.

"Lee is like your General Lee. My name means the 'glow of the sunset,'" she said.

And Miss Lee does glow. The petite aviatrix, wearing a native gown and an American npage-boy bob, talked enthusiastically of her work for United China Relief which she has been doing in the United States for the last three years.

"I want to do everything I can," she said. "I have not been in China for three years. Here I fly for United China Relief visiting cities where the drives are being carried on."

Family in Hong-Kong

Miss Lee, who was educated in Switzerland and England and took her advanced flight training in San Francisco in 1935, did much to promote aviation in China until she returned to the United  States in 1939.

"My father encouraged me to do things for the country," she said. "He and the rest of my family are in Hong-Kong now."

She hasn't heard from her family since the war started. "I had word from friends that they are still there. It's terrible not knowing how they are," she said.

As yet Miss Lee doesn't know what her part in the patriotic program, "It's Fun to Be Free," will be. She enjoys acting and once appeared with New Orleans Dorothy Lamour in a picture.

"I was in Hollywood for United China Relief when 'Disputed Passage' was being filmed," she explained. "I flew Dorothy Lamour into 'China' in a two-second scene. I like the movies."

Confident of Victory

The aviatrix had planned to fly the United China Relief plane here. "The weather wasn't very certain," she explained, so she came on the transport. She will return to New York later in the week.

Miss Lee said she was looking forward to seeing Anna May Wong, Chinese movie actress, who will arrive from the West coast tomorrow. They have worked together on United China Relief before.

The young Chinese flier expressed her confidence in General Chiang Kai-Shek and his armies. "In due course the army will drive the Japanese from China," she said. "It has been doing a wonderful job the past four years.