RAILWAYS, Record of Work Done in China to Restore Communications We have received an interesting booklet entitled "The Railway El terprise under the National Governmen, under a fisumé of the work of the Ministry of Railways its establishment, which shows A most definite attempt is being made to bring China's means of transportation up to those of foreign countries. Ca-ordination of ra ways alrendy in existence, centralize of purchases, and' plans for new lines and also for highways all definitely laid down.
The booklet opens with the stateig the key to Industries and Railways the key 'Transportation.' Verily the Railway is the fundamental instrument of transportation and therefore the foundation of industrial development. That is way Dr. Sun Yat-san advocated, at the very beginning of the Republic, the construction of a 100,000-mile railway net-work. His, advocation has taught us that without executing the Railway policy, material construction in China will bbe impossible The Ministry of Railways was established on November i, 1028, under the Executive Yuan, to take charge of Railways and to consummate Dr. Sun's plans. A definite organization was established, and this continued for a year, during which a great deal of work was carried out, and foreign employed ta help in the ra that was necessary in order place things on a sound ba short period of time, as there was. a lack of railway experts in China. Then at the end of the year the Ministry was reorganized according, to the experience gained.
Part of the Boxer Indemnity funds are to be used, as well a: Customs revenue surplus, in the building of railway lines, and has been decided to complete the Canton-Hankow Railway by the end of 1932, and to complete the Lunghai Railway by the end of 1934, All aspects of the railway problem in China have been thoroughly tackle ed by the Ministry, including even the immediate taking over of the Railway schools established in. var! ous parts of the country. The vari ous departments established have each a full programme, so that the necessary rehabilitation works may all be handled simultaneously. A general improvement in material, labour conditions, the abolition of corruption is to be expected, while problems of adjustment of railway indebtedness and revision: of Loan
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.