Viewing page 60 of 96
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS AND TIMES: FRIDAY, APRIL 24, Miss Lee Yaching Says China Proud To Be U.S. Ally Appeals at Benefit Dinner for 50 Million Chinese Refugees Expressing complete confidence the present world war will result in ultimate victory for the United Nations, Miss Lee Yaching, young Chinese aviatrix last evening declared in addressing about 300 persons at a dinner given in the Y for the benefit of the United China Relief, Inc., that the Chinese are proud to be fighting side by side with the people of America. Miss Lee, speaking slowly and with somewhat of an accent, yet in grammatical English, declared that China's 450,000,000 people would furnish much of the manpower and this, coupled with the great industrial resources of the United States, would eventually spell the defeat of Japan, a nation the Chinese have been fighting for the past five years. Holding the interest and attention of her audience throughout her talk, Miss Lee described some of the conditions in China resulting from the long Japanese war. She told of the need for funds to provide relief for 50,000,000 refugees which have been driven far inland from their homes by the invasion of the Japanese. She explained that her purpose in coming to Burlington was to interest the people in coming to the relief of those in distress in China. Dr. O. H. Sisson, local chairman of the United China Relief, presided and introduced the speaker. He announced that contributions are already coming in toward the quota of $3,000 which Burlington has set out to raise to assist in the national campaign for $7,000,000. Those attending the dinner were given pledge cards and were asked to contact others not present. Drives in 1,251 Cities Cornelius Baker of New York City, field man for the United China Relief, outlined briefly the national campaign, pointing out that 1,251 cities in the United States are conducting drives similar to the one in Burlington. Brattleboro, one of the first cities in the country to report its quota, has raised $1,000 he said. Dr. Sisson urged that pledge cards be sent to Benjamin E. Bristol at the Burlington Savings bank. Their Morale Is High Miss Lee painted a picture of China as totally unprepared to withstand the attack of a highly mechanized Japan. "We were unorganized and had so little with which to fight. Yet we fought on for five long years," she said. "In spite of all these sufferings of the Chinese people, they have been very brave. Their spirit and morale is very high. They are encouraged to know that America is now fighting side by side with them. "We will build a new China out of the ashes of the old." The speaker described in some detail how Chinese guerilla bands have been organized to fight the Japanese behind their lines. Many instances have been shown where the Chinese would let the Japanese advance to a certain point and then would close in and exterminate entire units, Miss Lee said. Refugee Children In Need Pointing to the great need for more relief work in China, Miss Lee said that only one-fifth of the refugee children are now being cared for. Pvt. John Campbell, cornetist of the 186th field artillery band, entertained with two vocal numbers. The dinner, consisting of Chinese foods, included chow mein, rice cakes and tea. The meal was served by the proprietors of the Star restaurant. BOSTON POST, FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 1942 SHAO-WEI FLIES HERE FROM CHINA Baby Thrives on Long Trip Only to Get Lost in N.Y. BY CORRINNE HARDESTY NEW YORK, APRIL 23 (UP) - Shao-Wei Hwang, age 8 months, who flew to America from Chungking, via Calcutta, Cairo, Lagos and Natal without missing a meal or a nap, and then got lost at La Guardia Field, gurgled and cooed today, unaware of his fame as a world traveller. BABY GETS LOST Sturdy, beaming Shao-Wei made the seven weeks' trip with composure and aplomb, according to his parents, Major and Mrs. John P. H. Hwang, but disappeared in the confusion of landing at La Guardia Field. He was found 15 minutes later, being passed around among half a dozen excited air hostesses. He and his parents are en route to London where Major Hwang will be air attache. With them was Comcander Ying-Tsung Chow, on his way to a London post as naval attache. Shao-Wei, called Howard for the Convenience of his parents' American friends, was the petted darling of the hop across four continents, getting all the attention of other passengers and most of the spare time of pilots. Slight Laundry Trouble In Calcutta he joined in celebrating the arrival of Lieutenant-General Joseph W. Stillwell, whose advent in the city coincided with Shao-Wei's. In the same place his wide smile prevailed upon airline officials to suspend rules against women passengers and thus permit his mother and himself to go on to Cairo with his father. His laundry was the concern not only of his mother-who summed up the whole trip with a smiling "you manage"-but of helpful passengers. Once or twice it was spread out on the ground to dry when the plane made a brief landing. Outgrows Clothes Major Hwang's only luggage was a brief case and Howard got through the trip in the heavy Chinese quilted robe in which he started, and two sweater suits-one of which he outgrew on the way because of his gain in height. Nothing in the journey bothered Shao-Wei but the 10,000-foot altitude near Chungking. When the plane made a sharp descent, Shao-Wei made loud protest about the pressure on his eardrums. The military plane which carried the four Chinese from Calcutta to Cairo was not insulated against noise or cold. Pilots wrapped little Howard in their coats and took turn about amusing him. Sleep on Pilots' Bed Two Royal Air Force pilots made a bed for the baby from their camp cot and Shao-Wei slept contentedly in this on the trip across Africa. Luggage restrictions made it impossible to bring any of Shao-Wei's toys but he never missed them. He was passed from lap to lap throughout the journey, somebody always wanting to hold or walk the smiling infant. He took the intense heat over desert lands without a protest and did not seem to mind being awakened to get on or off planes before dawn or late at night. All in all he was a worthy son of his father who picked off nine Japanese planes in a few days of fighting over Shanghai and Nanking early in the war. the army signal corps and is making a major contribution to the defense of the country. "We have got a lot of [[?]]," he said at a press conference.
