Wel-tan has been connected with commerce for many yours. It was he who founded the huge universal store at the corner of Mostovaya and Novogorodnaya streets, known as the 'Tung-Fa-Lun Stores,' originally a small shop in the market square, Mr, Mo spoke Russian excellently and carried on a great deal of busi ness with Russian merchants.
'A short time ago he stated he was about to close his stores and leave Harbin, This information coming to the ears of the police authorities, he was called to Police Headquarters to give an explanation of his intended action. There he explained that wing to the continual departure of the foreign population from Harbin and the competition of Japanese stores, he was unable to carry on his business, having incurred a loss last year of $15,000, He produced his books, which proved that his statement was perfectly correct. Never: theless he was ordered to carry on his business, the authorities, it is Hankow, Aug. 3.
Few will learn with' any" real surprise that both communists atid bandits are still active in this province, The Rev. Stamset, it" will be recalled, was captured in the early Part of June, and despite all. the efforts of members of the Lutheran and other missions, together with active steps taken by the vurlous authorities concerned, he is, as far as known, still a prisoner.
Recently, however, news has come to hand of the actual' conditions in the district around Sishul in the east of /Hupeh, not more than about 20 Li from the Yangtze, and the fact that the Communists have enjoyed such tree dom in that part would seem to in-late much more than just casual Slackness and lack of energy on the art of the responsible authorities. A correspondent in that area writes that on March 3 this year the Communist Army entered the town of Shlapaho, Sishul, in broad daylight killing, looting and' burning at will and marching off with numerous cap-lives; He criticises the 25th, Route Army which took over that' district from the 47th. and 64th, Divisions, Jand adds that since then the Reds, by making various raids, have managed to equip themselves at the expense of the 25th, Army who were more often than not in other parts of the district, On one such occasion sup-Plies, food and clothing to the reported value of $30,000 were removed by the Communists after burning down the large building in which those stores wore housed, the troops which they belonged being at that time in Lotien and Yingshen,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.