During actual warfare allowances may be made for apparent lack of ce-ordination, but long after the fighting ceases the railways remain in the grip of the military and unnecessary detention of engines and stock continues. Efforts to restore the railways to public use are there-arrested. Whilst on the one hand coaches are detained as domi oiles, passengers are crowded in the greatest discomfort in third and fourth class coaches and frequently in goods wagons. Passenger trains are delayed to give precedence! to unimportant military supply' trains of a few odd wagons. Merch-landis lies rotting in the open whilst Jgodowns stand for days awaiting ithe engines which are being kept idle in steam by military orders.
The cost of these military expedi-ins falls heavily on the merchant Jclass and heavy taxation is levied in various ways to meet military expenses. These taxes are so burdensome as to become a restrictive fluence upon trade revival.
he fact that the majority of the Chinese Government Railways are mortgaged to foreign bondholders jas security for loans has so far been ignored by the military auth-Jorities and it is on this point that strong united diplomatic action is needed. During the last eight} Jmonths particularly, the amount of }damage done by the military authjoritfes to railway property through-
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