There are now three lines of motor lorries running out of Taiyuan fu, one to the southeast and south through Yutzu, Taiku, Pingyao and Chiebhsiu, a second to the north through Sinchow towards Taichow, and the third to the southwest of Taiyuanfu, with stations at several district cities and market-towns and the terminus at Fenchow. There is a fairly heavy passenger traffic on these motor lines, though most travellers prefer the cheaper and more comfortable ricshas that are to be found in increasing numbers on these roads. The drivers of the motor lorries are recruited from among the pupils of a military and industrial school in Taiyuanfu. Abundant proof has been given that they -are not always qualified drivers when trusted with these valuable lorries and the still more precious lives of the passengers.
A few weeks ago, on the road near Sinchow, one of the busses crossed an elevated bridge and ran down into an uneven place on the farther side. The driver lost control and the machine toppled into a ditch some ten feet in depth. Four or five passengers were injured, at least one of them quite seriously.
A few days ago, near the city of Kiaocheng, a green driver took the wheel on one of these passenger buses. After describing a tortuous course for some distance, he finally lost control completely and the heavy lorry crashed into @ tree at the side of the road and toppled over in the ditch. More than 20
Passengers were in the car, among them two English gentlemen. All were injured, fortunately none fatally. Motoring is a very new thing in Shansi and it is possible that such occurrences are unavoidable in the stage of breaking in drivers.
Some months ago, I reported the change in local government in Shansi whereby vastly more responsibility was placed upon the shoulders of village presidents. Time enough has elapsed to enable ore to pass judgment upon this new system. Its success er failure is largely a question of personnel—that of these village presidents. In perhaps one-third of the villages progressive and _public-spirited men hold these offices and are demonstrating that the new system can be successful.
In the majority of the villages, however, it must be confessed that the outcome of the experiment is in doubt. Some of these village heads have arrogated to themselves the pomp:.and power of little princes. Others have found the decor to graft almost magically open to them. Yet others zealously lock after the welfare of relatives and friends, to the neglect of the general public. When all is said, however, at bottom the idea is a sound one and China can never develop a real democratic system without beginning in the villages.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.