The entire City was submitted to 'a close search on Saturday after information had been received by the Provincial Government that "Wenchow possesses more than her fait share of Communists. "That. there are Communists in the area Is recognized. The area, moreover, has never yet been plagued with' the Communist "armies that " terrified central China; bandits rove in small bands, some of whom may call themselves Communist without understanding what that political doctrine fs; but there is no Communism on a large scale The search on Saturday was probably organized to discover opium and arms og well es Communists. The populace was first warned not to Venture out between certain hours while the police inspectors made their rounds, afterwards installing houses that had been passed. Actually not every house was searched, since itthad first been ascertained from the head men of streets and city sections Which houses were suspicious and which "safe. "Unfortunately the population were warned in ample time to hide any illegal possessions, or to move out of the city.
Motor Road Opened 'A news item of importance is the opening of the motor road to the City of Julian, which had previously been connected to Wenchow by canal. The boat journey took three hours, and the motor bus will take just over an hour. Wenchow is now linked by road to all the larger towns in this part of the province. Con. sidering the mountainous nature of the country, with its numerous streams, rivers and canals, requiring extensive bridge consiruetion, the Government and people are to be warmly congratulated on the suc cessful accomplishment of what has deen a stupendous feat. Four years ago nobody believed such a thing to be possible. Th the city whole streets have been demolished for widening. and. workers still throw clouds of brick dust into the air. Already most unrecognizable the changes are by no means completed; there is formidable programme, of monopoly of the roads has not been finding, business too proffable, due probably to the population being mainly agricultural." As yet there fare no private cars running on the roads, but bicycles are increasing 50 much' that itis a danger to walk in the city streets.
It is being widely believed that the real "spur to road-building is the menace of war. People dread such catastrophe, but regard it as quite inevitable, and that is probably why they are more willing to be patient when not only taxes. are increased, Dut also their land is confteated for the new roads. There 4s a certain amount of systematic preparation going on so that the area will be not unprepared should war break out.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.