This hsien used to be known as Chang-ning, or Eternal Peace. But it would seem to be for good reason that of recent years it has lost this name. Being at the exact juncture of Kiangst, Kwangtung and Fukien Provinces, on the borders of the "Communist Empire" it was always among the first to fall and the first fo be retaken in all this troublous end of the province. It was sixteen times taken' and retaken within six years. Nearly every home greets tone with heart wrenching tales of suffering and loss at the hands of ehher Reds or their White avengers. While the Reds occupied, those who did not embrace Communism were burnt out or shot, When the Gov ernment forces returned those who did "embrace" Communism were Ukewise burnt out or shot, Thus the total previous population was reduced by over a third and blackened ruins and deserted homes marred the landscape at every turn, In many villages only toothless old folk, women, and babes survived, The: cream of the populace was skimmed nigh clean, all the better class either fled or was killed off.
Here is an example of some of the horrors endured as it is commonly told. When the city first fol, fafler'a plucky resistance agains hopeless odds, about 300 of the city's leaders, knowing they would get no quarter, barricaded themselves in the ancestral hall. The doors were presently broken open, many were shot right down or knifed on the spot and all the rest, supposedly, were led away and, after a brief mock trial, butchered in the usual way. with only a few hours notice last summer, every man vas recalled back over the border into Kusngtung," travelling by night, That same day the foreigner received word from his consul expressing apprehension and advising with= drawal in view of the disorder that would doubtless immediately result from the withdrawal of the troops, About noon a great silver military monoplane caused quite a sensation by suddenly appearing from the north and circling long and low over the city and then reluming, Anxiety was proved unfounded however, and although there remained less than 100 local volunteers to maintain the peace in this wide hsien there has been no great Increase In lawlessness during the four and a half months singe the troops left,"
This 1s all the more remarkable when one realizes that only a fow miles from the Kuangtung metropolis of Swatow, when the troops were called away 10 threaten Nank within three days' the Red regime was already again re-established and multitudes were again fleeing and homeless.
'The roads in "all parts of the dis-net here are still" safe for travel though there have been two robber-Jes since the troops left, Once a group, probably from outside, laid in wait at a narrow' pass for the crowds attending a big festival near the border, took them one by one and kept them "in waiting' till ey {ing then released them and escaped with the toot, Last week a. man was kdllled' and robbed after dark In the south of the district, The customary procedure was to bring the "oppressors of the people" tone by one before an open alr mass and ask if any had accusa~ ons against them, If so sentence was summarily executed on the spot, according to the stimulated blood: lust of the mob. The magistrate by the name of Pan Meng-chuen was among them, who by his justice and merey had won the love and respect of rich and poor alike. When asked it any wanted redress against 'a0 voice was raised, another Ing was appointed and still no ct was laid against him, whereat he was set aside and inconspicuously dis osed of later.
One sole survivor of that horrible incident however still walks the streets of Sunwu. He climbed unseen into the rafters of the bulld-Ing, witnessed the slaughter of his companions and heard their cries and then came down at night after cape. all had gone and made good his es-
First efforts to unseat the Reds were in the way fighting has cus
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.