Naturally the money situation is very acute. The military authorities, at MArshal Wu's headquarters at! Chengchow decided to issue ten million dollars of Honan notes which' were to be chopped' by military stamp and accepted at par throughout the Province. These notes without the chop' are now worth about ten cents on the dollar silver. the authorities were convinced by the merchants and bankers that the outlying haines would certainly not] accept these notes they agreed to postpone the Inrge issue. Nevertheless at Chengchow $1,100,000 of these notes have been issued, with the result that business is at 'n standstill there. and most of the shops have closed. These notes have not yet appeared in Kaifeng, but doubt-Tess will be issued here, sooner oF later. though local merchants. seem to be stiffening in their resistance to the ever increasing impositions. Yesterday x leading merchant was asked if Marshal Wa was not coming over from Chengchow to visit Kaifeng. and his reply was, "He dare not come, for he knows he would not be welcomed."
Tf there is any further advance of the Southerners up the Kinhan Hine it is the generally accepted opinion that Marshal Wa will retire north rather than to Loyang or Kaifeng. It is alto very evident "that the First Kuominchun would be warmly welcomed by the! Honanese, should they enter the Province "from Shensi, as rumoured they are now try' ladies' Sad Condition ies the impassability of the! roads owing to continuous rains, it! has been impossible to get necessary clothing or relief to the two ladies, to get them away from Chowki kow, for the country thereabouts is, overrun with desperadoes, while vehicles seem to be available, and Jaw and order are absolutely nonexistent.
Tt speaks volumes for the magni ficent efi that despite all obstacles letters are! coming through regularly.
There is one isolated lady sionary at Chenchowfu near Chow.
Kiakow, and a group of three or} four at Fukow, about 70 li from there. who are in a difficult situation, and are waiting for a favourable opportunity to come on to Kaifeng.
From a Chinese officer who recently came from Chikungshan it is Tearned that Sinyangchow is still held by the "Allies" under General] Tien Wei-chin, who is himself inside! the city, though the railway station If this lack of ce-ordination of the ied" forees continues, or if there [should be a further " retirement north, one greatly fears a break up of all discipline, and trouble of)
very serious kind from the soldiery. Already the soldiers are! besinning tw shove what they earn doy fax when a few dose ago a group Delonein to the Suichowho defence corps openly robbed the road work office of the International Famine Relief Association, Fortunately there was very little money in. the office at the time,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.