1938-02-07

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1938.

SHORTAGE OF FOOD IN TSINYANG

BUT HOPES OF GOOD

WHEAT HARVEST

The Arst snow of this winter is now gradually melting into the winter wheat fields, While the snow. cold and wet adds to the hardship of soldiers, refugees and especially the wounded and sick in the War Zone, yet there is no complaint because the coming wheat harvest is so anxiously hoped for by all having suffered from flood, war, and very high grain prices, writes a special correspondent of the Central China Post in a despatch from Tsinyang "(Hwalking), Honan. It is not only the usual poor that have to cat black cereals or something worse this year, the head of a family of five who owns twenty mon of land said to the writer one day: "Our food bowls have had nothing white for the last six months for us to eat, and from now unt the wheat barvest, even such as it is we can only hope for two balf-full meals each day." It is the disrupted village and family life thas to a great extent has made living expensive.

One method that has helped greatly to steady and maintain the usual life of the suffering, villager in this area and prevent them from "taking to the road" hos been that of organizing "Mutual Aid" groups and providing them with small loans.

This method enabled thousands of farmers to sow

their wheat fields, and then to help those who

of the China International Famine Relief Commission, The National Christian Council and the Inter-

national Red Cross."

WORK OF MOBİLE UNITS Chinese "Mobile Units" operat- ing now in North Honan as well in so many "War Zone" areas throughout China, make a very interesting comparison with form can be carriers from market to er Military Units in pre-war time. market, and barrowmen to push Their stealthy movements under coal from the mine to consumer. cover of darkness, their rapid de- keep busy farm carts and burden parture and arrival indicating animals, revive the household in- efficient, secret service work, their dustry of spinning and, weaving ready adaptation to desert, plain for themselves Instead of depend- f and mountain life, their effective ing upon the luxury of Cotton Mill military use in spite of light equip- thread, and continue the many ment and their remarkable con- other activities of ordinary vil-sideration of the common people lage life that usually helps to feed stands out in great contrast to the and clothe and shelter the peasant old time Military Unit." in his home surroundings and prevent his becoming a wanderer it gald by the common people:

or a pauper.

So often the writer has heard

"It is the soldier that is suffering in this war and not only the peo- ple." Meaning that in former times so often the people suffered

new

Many such groups have been helped to be self-supporting and self-respecting citizens, during a time when the very foundations of at the hands of the Military who ordinary life are being disrupted. only thought of their own wel- Courage is not usually lacking fare. The

attitude of the where" self-respect and self-sup- ¦ soldier in general is doing a lot to port can be maintained.

create and further a feeling of Through the help of the China United National Resistance. International Famine Relief Com- mission and a study and practice of their method of Co-operatives during the past three or four years, an effective way of giving relief at this time has been found ready at hand.

For fnaficial support we 30- knowledge with thanks the help

ม

living upon the people of several villages north of the Chin River.

The Red Spears were all pre- pared and made their attack stmultaneously on the bandits about their opium smoking time. A Aght took place in which the bandits were worsted, many "of them killed, the houses in which they were staying burned and in some cases their entire familles wiped out.

CANTON NOW QUIETER

West River Closed To Shipping

Canton, Feb. 5.

All appears to be quiet in Canton this morning except that martial law is still in force at night. In this connection, one corner of The Red Spear movement since activity. One foreigner states that Tungshan is bristling with military then has been gaining for the several thousand Chinese troops good of the people. It turns outaro stationed there. now that some of their leaders are over impressed with the greatness of their power and they in turn are making levies on the surrounding villages, making as their pretext; "They are the protectors of the common people."

The Italian Consul-General and Vice-Consul, who lived in this district have temporarily moved to Shameen.

SIAN GRIPPED BY WAR FEVER Crowds Daily Gather To Read "Wall" Newspapers

PUBLIC DUG-OUTS PROVIDED

Slan, capital of Shensl, which is veiled in quietness, remoteness and beauty and which is a city of historical interest, is now gripped by a war fover, states the Central China Post,

zones. While only one terest to

ERIC LIDDELL

Famous Sprinter Now Coaching Chinese

Erie Liddell, the famous sprin- tei. has. I hear, been having an adventurous time.in North China, writes a special correspondent in the Evening Stardard. With his brother, Dr. Robert, Liddell be has succeeded in relieving a fellow. missionary in, an isolated and dangerous district.

Their

Situated on a great plain some 10 or 12 miles south" of Wolba, some 30 miles north of the Tsinling Mountains`{Chung- nankhan), and east of the Li Mountains, Stan has the loftiness of Nanking and the beauty of the Chinese old capital, Pelping. The fall of Tientsin, Peiping. with fresh war news,

The walls Shanghai and Nanking has caused along the streets are adorned with tradition. Their father was also a work is in the family Meanwhile, the air raid alarm an influx lato Sian of thousands these papers and other "wall-news-misssionary in China and the sounded early this morning but of students from schools destroyed papers" in which are also "printed" brothers went out thirteen years movement is that now a former raids on other parts of Ewangtung war

The strangest event of the whole this is believed to be due to routine by Japanese Invaders in the short essays and cartoons of in-ago. bandit leader, Yao Ke Chi, is Canton thus far has been spared senior middle school. two normal Crowds' mill before these papers that time.

the common people. The Rev. Eric Liddell was 24 at chosen as a leader of the Red a repetition of yesterday's specta-schools and the North-eastern every morning and carefully pursue at the

His greatest feat was Spears rose to power" about two cular visitation.

University were opened here before every line.

Olympic Games in 1924, months ago. The Red Spears in this district are famous for the that there have been considerable Slan today is full of educational

A reliable foreign report states the outbreak of

when he won the 400 metres in the hostilities,

Aside from these newspapers. 47, 3-5sec. and broke the world's queer superstitions and religious bombings the vicinity of Swatow, institutions, prominent

many periodicals, some whica are record. rites they engage in, while making where air raid alarms have sounded which is the "Temporary Univer-edited by students, have come into

among preparation for night attacks upon for the past two days. Swatowelty of the National Feiping and

The record has been broken existence in Blan following the lagain since then, but Liddell'a bodies bullet-proof from are arms their enemies, and making their itself, however, has not

been Normai Universities and the Per-removal of many cultural institu- spectacular race earned him the visited.

tions to this city. yang College." The latter was

nickname of the Flying Scots- and wound-proof from. spear thrusts.

In addition to the halting or established with the purpose of The local population is gradually

man." shipping at the second bar, it is providing education to the students increasing. Since last October. His style was all wrong in theory. understood that the West River is who were driven out from schools every available apace in the hotels and awakard in appearance, yet now closed to shipping.-(Reuter). by the. invaders.

and private residences have been his pace acemed terrific. In some aspects, Sianis at packed with refugees from the He played some fine Rugby for present the Centre of national coastal provinces.

Scotland, too, at wing three-que- salvation work in the province.

Despite the Middle school students as college

visits paid by theter. Japanese planes, the populace in students go to districts as far asian remain undisturbed. Well- Pacchi, about 180 kilometers west of Sian, and Han-chung, about underground help protect them constructed dugouts "several feet 230 kilometers south-west of Sian from the horror of aerial attacks.

PRAYERS FOR PEACE Some days ago a peculiar scene took place on the main streets. of walking city. Under leadership of the temple priests; tables were arranged in the centre of the street on which

was spread out various kinds of food and offer-

ings to the gods and posters made prominent the fact that an offer ing was being made to the God of Peace. "Ping An Shen."

The passers-by were asked to bow or kotowe as they so desired and make an offering of money. The people seemed to respond easily. What is more to be desired than Peace in such troublesome times!

SPANISH WAR BREVITIES

Salamanca, Feb. 6. THE INSURGENTS claim that as the result of a series of powerful government thrusts being repulsed. their troops have been able to make a new `push and have advanced a number of miles -on the southern front.

to spread among the tolling, ants the ideas of patriotism and patient and peace-loving "peas armed resistance against foreign aggression.

HISTORICAL NOTES

An ancient

Shens!.

city. Slan was

Now he coaches the Chinesê. He has remained a very quiet, rian who refused to take part in unazsuzning man, a frm Babbata-

Olympic heats on a Sunday.

turmerly the capital of the Chin Nestorian Tablet, dated. 781. AD. It is not an unusual sight to Empire (257-207 B.C), and is now which records the entry of the see these enthusiastic youths, in an important trading tourist centre. Nestorian Christians from Western

It is situated on groups of threes and fives, clad in

the horizontal Asia into Sian. Northwest of the is the city is the colossal image of a MADRID was heavily shelled to-stuffed with dry provisions slang Junction of several highways in seated Buddha, the largest in

uniforms and with travelling bags Lung-Hai Railway. and day by insurgent artillery which on their backs, leaving their cam- "RED SPEARS" ACTIVE

Among other things that hap-did considerable damage, though puses for such long fourneys.

·Strange things happen in these pened just that day was the pass- the number of casualties are not confused times, About two months Ing of bombing planes, and the yet known. ago an uprising of the Hung sound of their devastating work Chang Hul. Red Spears, led to was clearly heard not many mlies practically the annihilation of a away, however, the worship of the considerable number Dí bandits "Ping An Shen" was for the time who had been plundering and being both novel and popular.

THE NATIONALISTS claim to have occupied, the important lead mines at Santa Barbara (Reuter).

China.

A fine museum is located here Sian was the earliest seat of which preserves choice specimens several religions, Jews, Buddhists, GROWTH OF NEWS-SHEETS

of the arts of the Tang (618-907 Nestorians, Meanwhile, vernaculars

and Mohammedans, have A.D.) and other dynasties. In a who still form a considerable. sprung up like mushrooms during temple south of the city, is a element in the population center- the past, few months. Six verna- collection of culars and four mosquito papers called the Forest of Stones.

over 1,000 tablets,ing here. Stan's population is are supplying the local populace these, the most

Of estimated in the neighbourhood of the 100,000.

famous is

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