As the first week of August came along and many parts of Hunan still lacked rain, the de-views worked out were increasing-strenuous, Thus in Changsha itsel€ the picture of religious activity was striking. At the end of the first week in August the fights ye very dry and evening proce sions were held. 'Two of the mon the Budhist monastery north of the ity, founded in the Tang dynasty and celebrating its thousandth anniversity ime, had themselves. burn-fed alive (at all reports have itt) The' processions themselves were interesting to. watch, being invariably short. Two men leading, each ith a black brass-bound trumpet, fully six feet. in length, emitting the most doleful sounds, were fol-Towed by men with banners and the rear was brought up by small boys with large and variegated lanterns. Gthers in the group carried large sticks of incense oF split bamboo rods used as rattles. Of course there was the usual accompaniment of gongs, drums and cymbals.
When rain finally came, at the end of the first week of August, most elaborate plans were carried cut for the returning, with due solemnity and expression of gratitude, of the mummies of T'ao and Li, which had been borrowed from their respective shrines.
Disgrace-Averting Associations The heat of the summer has not proved sufficient to lessen the ardour Of the various associations carrying on propaganda. What is most striking, the message of anti-imporalism and of nationalistic anti foreignism (a word has to be coined!) has been carried into the remotest districts of Hunan and from each centre come reports that take up a considerable amount of space In the dailies, The most available route for active work has been interfering with the carrying of s0- called enemy merchandise. Almost daily, the consols have had their ti tention called to some violation fof safe carriage for freight, most frequently along the line of railway, between Changsha: and Yochow. Piece-goods parcels have been stolen, sugar sacks removed and other cargo carried off because regarded as coming from hostile nations.
"The Hunan Secretary for Foreign Affairs has inds full of cases requiring adjustment with merchants, both Chinese and for-ign, the latter mainly Japanese. For, it is worth noting, whatever the developments in Shanghai may be, in Hunan there is a fairly violent anti-Japanese propaganda continued evidence. The Govexnor is doing his best to suppress these outrages to ordinary legal transportation of commodities. Suffice It to say that whereas. there have not been any open outbreaks during the past six weeks, there i kept up an active smouldering fire that is not lil there is a settlement of the serjes of incidents beginning with that of May 30, The Chinese are a patient people but their willing hess to wait for a reasonable adjustment is being sorely tried.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.