THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 6, 1988,
GUERILLAS ROUND NANKING Japanese Burning Homes Of Farmers
Terror By Night In Old Capital
Though still far from desirable, general conditions in Nanking have greatly improved, and comparative quiet reigns over the former capital. Everywhere ruins and charred skeletons of build- ings stand as grim reminders of more turbulent days.
جم
tacked by bands of organised gangsters preying upon the long- suffering community,
taken up by Japanese traders who cater exclusively to the army and Japanese civilians. There is no system if a Japanese merchant finds a store with sufficient roof to keep out the rain, he moves in and sets up his business. Some deal with the hundreds of Chinese peddlers, who merge and candy and sugar, selling them at a Some of them are armed, and they profit. of a few coppers a day:
buy
Police of the "Reformed Govern- ment" carry no side-arms. They are not even trusted with batons and there are no night patrols.
TORTURE ALLEGED
southern Operating mostly in the district, these gangsters act nightly.
have succeeded in establishing a reign FOOD PLENTIFUL
of terror among the poverty-stricken Food has suddenly become plen people. Some of their victims, later tiful and cheap. Eggs are available transported to the one hospital, the Nanking University Hospital, have in plenty, selling from 40 to 50 to given horrible accounts. They have candles, In the immediate vicinity of the city, condi- $1, cheaper than they were even been tortured, burned with tions are also more settled, but north of the river, ing country is yielding vegetables, them. This reign of terror is so real on the local market. The surround-etc. when these gangsters thought that something was being hidden from less than 50 miles away from Nanking, well-poultry and even cattle are begin- that many are seriously thinking organised guerilla units are increasingly active, ning to make their appearance leaving the city for this very reason. according to well-informed foreigners.
or
These units bear no semblance to which they deal are found the pseudo-guerilla bandits, who snatched but there are no com- are at present roaming over Japan-plaints and consequently no proof. ese-occupied territory. They are Stores along Chungshan Road, trained, well-organised men who Nanking's main street, are all harrass small groups of Japanese soldiers, drive them away from villages, and then retreat unobsten- tatiously upon the arrival of rein- forcements.
With the return of Japanese to these cities, it is stated, the re- taliatory tactics are always the same. Farmers are suspected of having called the guerillas, and as a result their huts are burned, and they themselves, as often as not shot.
BELIEVE RECAPTURE DUE
Within the battered walls of Nanking, however, some 350,000 Chinese are living patiently confident that any day now the Central Government may recapture the former capital.
They do not waste their time regretting the passing of the good old days or feeling sorry for them- selves, but work day and night in building up some petty trade which will earn them half a living. Where the other half comes from remains a deep mystery to foreign- ers in Nanking, although it is sus- pected that generally-the-resources. of the Chinese are underestimated, and that there is much ́· hidden
away.
Returning to Nanking, at the average of 300 a day, Chinese im- mediately go to work in rigging up a skeleton house with some sort of matting overhead as a protection against rain, Piece by piece they mysteriously find shaky furniture- then build themselves a stove from a gasoline can or clay. They keep on improving it daily with the in- dustry and patience of ants, and within a month, have livable quar- ters. Comforts, of course, are out of the question.
IMMUNE TO BULLETS ! !
· They all believe sincerely in the
· guerilla units known variously as red flags, yellow flags, long spears, big swords, etc. The belief pre- valent during the Boxer Uprising with regard to the immunity of these bands from bullets is return- ing. Though absurd, this belief, foreigners in Nanking feel, is symbolical of a new morale. The people want to believe in the strength of the Central Govern- ment, and even grasp at every story.
There is no commerce worth mention on the part of the Chin- ese. Small shops have been open- ed, but do no business. Along the western side of the city, for three miles, sketch stalls along both sides of the streets. It is strongly suspected that the greater majority of the odds and ends in
within the city. Pigs have for some time been abundant.
But the people of Nanking have no protection. The "haves," and there are few of them worthy of this term, are living in a constant state of fear that they will be the next to be at-
of
The robbers are all dressed in Chinese garb, but there is reason to believe that among them are not a few unscrupulous ronin who of so closely follow on the heels Japanese occupation. Foreigners, most of whom live either in the hospital or the Nanking Univer- sity, are untonuched. However, their (Continued on Page 17)
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