In ancient times the central and western portions of Shensi were one Of the most thickly populated parts Gf China; but things have changed Completely in this respect in mogorn Cimes. About 1928. the population was estimated to be slightly over Cloven million, and has since shen Sunk further' to less than ton million, owing to the almost continuous famine of the Last five years jin' these very same western and central portions. Prior to this, mo Over, the province suffered very severely of constant civil tivo factors account for backward state of the province and the poor economic and physi con ition of its people. Nevertheless, jim to have noticed.a mark-Tong resident in these awakening of the people during the ast decade, both morally and intellectually.
The Catholic bishop of Sianfu even thought the people of Shensi of milder disposition than in many Of the provines of the South, as one proof of which he cited the fact thatin Shensi the bandits did not murder their prisoners. In this con-Bection it may be moted that the Various Catholic missionaries who had been in the hands of bandits
been liberated. until ulto, secantly have now all Fewer Bandits There can be no question that danaitry in Shensi has been very groanly reduced during the Last two, Not so tong ago, even t ungkuan-Sianfu road was table to mverruption by these gentry, bus This is probably Just as much due 0 improved economic conditions as to the ettorts of the authorities, though fis generally admitted thee General Yang Hu-cheng who has. practical and long experience of this subject, has done very effective work. AS to the Red invasion from Szechuen, T'was told by the authorities that, though for a time the Reds had actually invaded Shensi and occupied the town of Kuchong in the extreme South-west, they had now been riven out again, And as there were frane of the usual rumours amongst the easily alarmed, business circles, conclude that this statement is substantially correct,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.