Im the North-East and South-East fringes of Hupeh province conditions were disturbed by a series of raids, most of which were not really Serious, made by limited numbers of bandits, or so-called "Reds", from the neighbouring provinces of Honan, Anhwei and Kiangs!, North-Eastern Weakness the North-East the principal border towns of Hwangan, Machenk and Lotien had been in Government hands for some considerable time, but in the early part of the garrisoning troops were seriously d Pleted in numbers owing to large humpers beng drafted Northwards for the defence of Peking against the antlelpated Japanese invasion of Chihli Province. This gave an portunity for ratels by bandits from Honan and. Anhwei, These bodies of bandits were not strong enough to hold the places they raided, but were able to remain long enough in mich places to create a general feel-Ing of Insecurity which was very detrimental to trade. There was a raid from Honan with Sungfow ax Its objective in March: it was driven back finally at Hokiapu, only 34 miles from Hankow. In November owing to the pressure being brought to bear on them In the South-East corner of Hupeh. a large band of tufei, bein unable to break into Anhwei or the interior of Linnet made a dash for the South-We corner of Honan Province, crossing the Peking-Hankow Raflway at Sinantlen. Railway trame on this im: portant line was disorganized for two days by this movement, but the bandits were successfully chased into the mountainous districts. of South: West Honan, The North-East dis tricts of Hupeh are stil! under strict martial law.
South-Rast Wort Of In the South-Rast corner of Huveh conditions were worse than elsewhere, no doubt due to {ts mountalnous surroundings and to the bandits being driven overt! horder into Hunsh by Gen. Chien Kelethok's energetic attacks on the "Red" strongholds in Klanenl province. Both on the North-East and South-East borders economic prensure wax brought to bear on the bandits by the formation of a "Salen* Control Bureau" which strictly controlled and regulated the sales nf Salt, Kerotene and foodstuffs, the {dea being to starve the bandits into submission by a shortage of these all-important staples of tife—from which eatorory we un arettes, being of were excluded. Kerosene splen were ndversoly affected by such activities but the resirietions were cheerfully borne in the Interests of the eommon weal
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.