Wuchang, Nov, 16.
"Ching at the Cross-roads" has been a common headline in both the Chinese and foreign press over the period of the past few weeks. 'Through the trying _Internatiqnal tangle through which China has been passing in recent years, headlines of a similar nature' have frequently greeted the eye. Critics have often asked the question, however, as to Warning Suggested to London, Nov. 17 A request sot contule of Proceeding' to Manchoukuo, of ing to Manchoukuo, of Biyterfiory on the date fmsintand within the" Japanese there of Infuence, that revel: iter are apt lov meet. serious Chstacles_ was made to. Air Knthony Bon, the Foreign Secre: thy, by "Bari Winterion, Con fervalve member from Horsham trid Worthing division' of Sussex Brilan subjects in_parlleaiar are. likely to. be, subjected. 10 terious delay" in theit_Journeyn thd' to some dlscourtxy" on the Dari "of "japanese police "and Essloms olelas, Earl "Winterton it. den, in replying in_ the Commons sated tht the effect {hot "deplorable. incidents were faving "upon foreign travellers intending to. visit' Japan and balacentteritories hed already een made known yo (he Japanese Government" have no further Information on the subject Just how China as " nation could be considered at any Kind of a cross-Fond when the general population has been Kept in relative ignorance of the true state of affairs.
In many of these past_ moments of tenseness, much has been said and litre actually done in his direction. In certain eases it has almost. appeared that the extreme caution of the present government has resulted in" policy of suppression of such Popular feeling as has shown itself. Recent eventg in Wuchang have therefore been of considerable Inforest as evidence of a new polley In popular education and for" pre-aration In the event that it is necessary for China to choose a road leading away from the peaceful settle ment of her present diMeulties.
During the past few weeks there has been in the process of organization a system of household inspectors which organization has at last been completed and is now in operation, Using the existing police divisions as fo distriels, the city has been divided into eight or nine sectors. In each of these areas, a responsible householder, usually a property owner, has been selected for each ton house numbers. Further—subdivisions of the police districts makes possible the appointment of one head of w subdivision as a supervisor over the "chia chang" or local householder. From these supervisors, of which there may be from fifteen 20 in a division, an appointment made to the city-wide central com: mittee.
Area Completely Covered While the numbers in any one district do not appear large, a quick lance at the whole organization will bring out at, once its completeness. In one district under observation, there were sixteen supervisors with fan average of eighteen local household inspectors under them, making a total for ong police district of 288. For the sake of rough estimation, using these figures, the total for the city must approach the 2,500 mark which indicates an extremely thorough development.
The duties of the inspector are not arduous but do entail consider able responsibility if the directions given him are to be fully carried Out. He is to first make a thorough Investigation of the ten houses under hhis supervision, asking the names, numbers, occupation and similar in= formation from' each. He is charged with the. responsibility of reporting any' suspicious Individual whom he runs across and If he falls to do so is liable for rather severe punishment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.