33 Members of Chinese Labour Corps Back from France After 21 Year's Absence The Great Wer ended on Novem-
11, 1918 for the Allied troops and repatriation from France swiftly followed, but not for one party of 33 Chinese. The war finally ended for them when they arrived from France on Mar. 11 in the Messageries Maritimes s. Bernadin de St. Pierre. which put into port shortly after They were members of the Chinese Labour Corps who safed from their mother country 21 years ago to do what they could for the Allied cause, ttle knowing that they would. be: demobilized practically" speaking, nearly two decades after the signing of the Armistice.
Speaking French as fluently as their native tongue they were voluble with excitement and pleasure about the much belated arrival in. the homeland, when interviewed by a North -China Herald" reporter who met them on their arrival. Each member of the party carried in some Docket what he seemed to look upon something tangible which he hoped would. serve as an excuse for the they drew forth were often tattered and torn but they looked upon them other proudly. There was inscribed both French and Chinese the gratitude of the French Republic Which conferred upon each the "Droit de la Medaille Commemorative Pranealse de la Grand Guerre, During the years since the Great War they have been working in various parts of France, they said, at any and all kinds of jobs. During the last five years their plight has been particularly unhappy owing to the Increasing dimeully of finding remunerative employment.
Chinese delegates who visited France during the 19th and. 20th. International. Labour "Conferences raised the question of sending the Gestitute labourers back to China. Tt was only recently that sufficient money was raised to make successful the project of repatriating these men. 'They were brought to Shanghai from Marseilles via' the Suez Canal, travelling fourth class.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.