Nimble Soong

Month ago nimble-witted Finance Minister T. V. Soong announced that for the first time since China became a Republic her dumbbell finances were whirling in a balanced rhythm (TIME, Jan. 2). Last week popular demands that China spend millions to fight Japan were enough to drive Juggler Soong frantic. Nonchalant instead, he reached for a lottery.

Mr. Soong asked Chinese patriots to buy $5,600,000 worth of lottery tickets, promised to pay lucky patriots exactly half this sum in lottery prizes totaling $2,800,000. Of the Government's profit half will go "to purchase airplanes and for the building of roads." Such a prospect so vexed the Japanese war office that U. S. Ambassador Grew was again forced to deny U. S. connivance.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.