One of the leading Nationali generals in Honan at present is Gen, Sun Tien-ying. Three years] ago he was a famous bandit-leader and a force of about 10,000 men under his leadership attacked the city of Pochow, with its ancient] walls, and burned, pillaged. and murdered. The city was held by] the bandit chief for several da; and his desperadoes were given free hand, with the result that hundreds " of men, women, and children were killed, and others lost all their possessions. The military' governor of Honan at that time Apparently decided that Sun Tien-ying was too powerful to fight, and made overtures to him. After some bargaining, Sun and his bandits were taken into the government} army, and have been a part of it ever since.
The example had rather disconcerting results, for other bandit Teaders decided that they might get government jobs for themselves and their robbers by sacking a few cities, and banditry became more general than ever. Only the determined assault upon the bandits by, Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang, when be! took over the province, checked the evil.
Forced into Banditry General Sun Liang.chen believes, according to the Chiinese press, that Honan bandits are generally, men without jobs, who have to! make a living some way. If they can be given jobs in the army, they automatically cease their! robberies. Foreigners who live in Honan agree that in many cases; this is true, Formerly peaceable farmers, threatened with starvation, become bandits to provide food for} themselves and their families.
There was the recent case of a bandit leader who kidnapped two foreign missionaries, and then offered to release them if the government would take him and his men into the army. This bandit} he w im of cireumstances, and, If he could be assured of a living, he would gladly forego the life of a robber, and his men would do the same—United" Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.