T have now been into Honan and able to say something from firs liliand experience, and feel that po haps the optimists have the best position to defend, though, if 1 People themselves were the final Judges, ant could decide offhand, The super-optimists, would seem to be correct. I found absolutely sentiment against the foreign guests, either missionaries others. I did, however, hear that] there was a great deal of speeul tion as to the reasons that had caus. ed the foreign friends to be called away from their work: this from the less well-informed part of the community. "Among the better formed there was "a feeling that very portentous things might happen in the not distant future, and that it were certainly better' for the non-Chinese friends to be away when these things come to pass. Even the very closest friemis, of many years standing, were among those who, while Welcoming {back among them, felt that the cei sular order to come away should be strictly obeyed, and this not more for our own welfare then for their peace of mind, and perhaps for their physical safety. "This feeling uncertainty as to what the future holds had actuated these, who coald, 10 send their famil "this. advice were taken and given for the following several reasons. The whole province has been for lone, ant is still filled with warring! sumige Up until 1922 the year in which ex governor Chao Ti was forced to flee at the approach of Gen. Feng Vu-hsiang, the Honan soldiery "never had exceeded two full divisions. Tu these letter months there have been as many 28 90 divisions fighting in and feeding off the province. very recently the eastern, or Kuo teh prefecture, was held by the infamous San Tien-ying, who looted and rained, Pochow in the early days'of, last'yetr. "He was the mah [who Claimed. th have: been "under! the. xia: of Marshal Wa Pei-fo, andr whom, it-would seem was: re
Governor Chang Chung-chang, in the allied armies. With the coming b€° the -Fengtion troops, his "power seems to have: waned.somewhat in the eastern area, but he is there Jand is still a-menace ta-the peace lof mind of the people of the community. Some say he has been moved down into the Honan-Anhuiff border
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.