Secret Service Agents. in the North Mukden and Tsiananfa have instructed the various martial law commanders to be on the look-out for plain-clothes. spies and agitators acting in the interests. of Feng Yuchsiang and the Nationaists. It is alleged that these enemy agents have invaded Manchuria and Shantung for the purpose of spying upon the military operations of the Northerners as well as. to incite agitation, and the martial law commanders have been ordered to be" on the look-out for persona wearing a red ribbon, or using red handkerchiefs or red wallets, Furthermore, anyone found carry ing an electric torch at night te" be"bnmediately arrested and questioned.
Tt it alleged that the agents of the Nationalists and Feng) Vu. hsiang have arrived at a system of signals and identification, displaying red ribbons, ties, handkerchiefs or wallets in the day-time and flashing electric torches at night. As a result of all this, Manchurian and Shantung folk are fast carding garments on which red is the predominant colour and people in interior districts have got rid of their electric torches and gre solely carrying of or candle lanterns at night. What with Big Sword uprisings and Southern activities in connection with the promised general offensive against the North, there is a highly panicky feeling in Manchuria and Shantung, and the martial Law commanders, following instructions from headquarters, have been issuing one set of reulations after.another, in an effort {to locate and arrest enemy agents.
It is not to be denied that enemy agents are operating in Northern zones, but what strikes the foreign observer is the childishness of these regulations. In many. districts, people are not permitted to be out at night later than nine or ten o'clock, but there is no system of pass-words at all and the method challenging is somewhat quaint. The sentry shouts at the top of his voice:—"Who goes there the pedestrian replies:—"Ngo!" (meaning "T"). "AIL right, pass! shouts back the sentry?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.