Questioned on the opportuneness of an attack against Britain which has been advocated in certain circles in Japan, the General merely replied: "we are doing what we should do."
Asked whether he favoured the extension of the authority of the new Peiping Provisional Government over Central China, the General replied in the negative, stating that it would be necessary to establish an autonomous government in that area.
"There are at present several personalities- in Shanghai ready to cooperate with us," he added, "but the right moment for it hag not yet arrived."
Replying to a question concerning his eventual intention of pushing as far as Hankow, the General stated that the Chinese army was completely demoralized and taking into account their mentality he was of the belief that it would be better to see how things shape out by themselves.
In this connection it would be interesting to recall the 1914 Kreschen sky Parade held in St. Petersburg on the banks of the mighty Neva, and destined to be the last in the history of Imperial Russia. It began in the White Hall of the Winter Palace. Sixteen deep, the pick of the nation's Guards stood like thousands of poised statues on both sides of the huge Hall Even the banners and standards on the right flank seemed a solid wall of colour.
Straight as an arrow and taller than anyone in the room, the Grand Duke Nicolai Nicolaievitch, then Commander-in-Chief of the All-
Guards and of the St. Petersburg Military District, walked in with light step, his white hair setting off the crimson of his Cossack Guards uniform, "Order arms!" Before this sharp command of the Grand Duke ceased reverberating through the high-ceilinged hall, the parade noiselessly lowered rifle butts to the parquetted floor.
"Rehearse the lowering of the colours." the Grand Duke continued. The wall of colour came to life, and with a soft rustling fell slowly forward. Suddenly its fall was checked. The illusion of the wall was gone. Instead, the different banners and standards stood out, each distinct from the other. "As you were!"
Everything is back in place.
A procession streamed into the White Hall. First came the heralds and pages, followed by members of the court'attired in glittering uni-ins. Then the peers and high offis of the government passed before the parade, then the members of the Imperial Family. There came a break in the procession, and the Grand Duke is once again alone with his troops. Sharp, like the fall of knife, the command: "Present arm:
Little Father's Entry All movement, all breathing stopped. His Majesty entered, and while the standards were slowly dipped in salute, walked with simple dignity down' the hall With a flash of the sword, the Grand Duke walked up to the Tsar and made his report.
His Majesty then inspected the troops, passing before this flower of his nation's manhood. At the river he was awaited by the clergy.
Russian Workmen Hit Russian workmen have been hard hit by the partial permission of the Japanese authorities for Chinese labourers to be admitted into the Hongkew, Wayside and Yangtszepoo districts, During the last four months the existing conditions proved favourable, in a sense to many indigest Russians who improved their fortunes greatly in the removal of goods from over the creek. The demand for Russian workmen was at one time (in the end of September and part of October) so great, that their daily wages reached the figure of $12 a man. Later, the work became less lucrative. "Artels" were formed, competition grew. $3 and $4 a man became the usual daily wage. Nevertheless hundreds and sometimes thousands of Russians were daily employed by this "industry."
Jewish Meeting The large number of Russian-Jewish emigrants in Shanghai watched with interest the conference of the leaders of Russian Jewry in the Far East which was held in Harbin from December 26 to 28, The conference was presided over by Dr. A. L Kauffman of Harbin and was looked upon favourably by the local authorities. After its conclusion, Dr. Kauffman went to Tientsin and Mukden better to acquaint himself with the Russian-Jewish communities there. As a result of this conference a National Council of Russian Jews of the Far Bast was created and several problems of each community
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.