Gloomy Picture of Conditions. in Interior Hankow, Apr. 1.
Gen. Ho Chen-chun, Pacification [Commissioner for the Three Provinces, who has just returned from an me spection trip in northern Hupeh, [paints a gloomy picture of the condi-ions existing in the interior at present. He declares that the former industrious habits of the peasant farmers and their way of thinking have changed considerably during the past few years, and laziness and carelessness have taken their place.
In former days, he says, these farmers were the' most industrious people in China, and even in the leisure seasons of the year the men learned to cut wood, while the women fused to spin cotton into thread and weave the thread into cloth. Now all this has changed; they not only have relaxed their attention in producing by-products, but also have taken a Inissez-faire attitude towards agricul tural pursuits," Hence, uncultivated Iand may be seen everywhere, with no-one willing to till it.
Furthermore, adds Gen. Ho, many of the countryfolk have been driven by the last flood to risk their lives for anything, and this, coupled with the lure of the Communist bandits, has resulted in a sorry state of affair The good people in the villages, utterly disgusted with the demoralized conditions prevailing in the interior, have fled from their homes and sought Safely and protection in the bigger cities, It is the duty of the Government, concludes the Pacification. Commissioner, to embark on an extensive educational campaign, by means of which the ignorant farmers might be Jed to return to their former industry and thriftiness. In this way. China's agricultural production can be developed and banditry and lawlessness can be totally suppressed.—Reuter.
Honolulu, Mar. 31, The first errand of mercy of the {trans-Pacific alr service was completed to-day when the aeroplane China Clipper Ianded here this afternoon with an injured man. aboard, ie was Mr. George Bennett, a member of the crew of the Pan-American Air. ways' service ship, the s. Northaven, who was suffering from a strained back, On his arrival here, he was taken to a local hospital for treat. ment. The Clipper picked him up ai Midway Islnd on tts return top from The glont four-motored ying-boat Jianded at Pearl Harbour at 423 o'clock this afternoon (10.53 a.m, Wednesday, /Shanghal time), bringing a heavy lon of mail destined for Hawaii and the United States, After an overnight stop here, the Clipper will take off to-morrow on the Inst leg of its flight back to Alameda, Cal, thus completing its Ahled round trip to. Manila—United
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.