As a mere digression I asked the young Marshal Chang why the Peking-Mukden railway not ranning and, after some conversa tion, Iam not quite sure yet what he hoped I would believe the trouble was. He said traffic was on the eve of resumption. He denied that the Fengtien army had run away with anything like the number of cars and locomotives that I quoted.
The usual figures quoted in Peking un to 300 engines, 6,000 goods cars and a varying quotation on passenger cars. This I checked over and the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Eastern Provinces laughed and wanted to know what rolling stock T thought all China owned: any rate he claimed to have returned a dozen engines and a score of tr id that there were thirty hopelessly dilapidated engines in the shops that he was xoing to put back on the line, as ood as new, and that if T did not the cold. I shall first escort you to the warm restaurant where your can have tea, then get your baggage then buy your ticket," afler which T shall see you safely on the Harbin train. And so it, went, aw far as things went well. My friend came into the tea room, after h had put me and my baggage in most comfortable possible attitude and asked for twenty odd dollars. After an interminable wait, during L thought that he might have gone off to buy himself a farm Heilungkiang, he returned with ticket, a bale of dirty paper money. fas change and an apology. First class was full and he had had been able to get me a second class place only. It seemed to be a disgrace to Manchuria, T said it was ible, and he said it was te Init that—ay is always happening in China—nothing could be done!
AMI this had hours and T was finally bustled into conipartment in the Harbin trai in which there was one young boy who seemed to be very take his word for it, T could go down to the shops and Took the wrecks over. later went and did spectacle of engines under but all over the spurs and shunting lines T also saw a fine display of freight ears from every Tine north Chinn that might' be doing. useful service now if we only hind them. There wore trains and trains of Tang Vu-lin's dilapidated-look ing equipment from Jehol, one field gun or one motor truck holding down a full-sized goods car, or two or three sorry-ooking soldiers camping in. a big steel box car its only apparent excuse for existence. This: the Commander-in-Chief could see for himself any day that he drove the golf course. About such things in China however, one cannot afford to be too critical. They cost the country millions but the country can afford it, and if the, will to amend there conditions real ly exists it is a lot more hopeful than the old idea of obstructing all progress just for the sake of being obstinate, or the ultra-new idea of wrecking everything just to prove that China has the innate right to suicide. tionalist, judging by a and a fine pompous old man and his elderly wife, to whom my pri-bodyguard introduced me with a flourish worthy of medieval Italy. In my gawkish Anglo-Saxon fash~ jon T tried to do my part and wherever I fell short the others made up—all but the bright Nationalist. With bags nicely dispose ed, introductions perfected, tickets order and all the rest of it, presented my native of Yenchowfa with one bright, round, hard Tien tsin dollar. He took off his hat, bowed, said I was too generous and departed. And that seems to be the spirit of Manchuria, Try a Little Courtesy One hears from foreign travel Jers that they are independents, rough and greedy. Se are most pioneers. Has any reader ever tested the difference between a polite request and a brusque order in Wyoming oF Arizona? One does not got shot for discourtesy in these places any more' (which is rather a pity) but tre vellers will remember that the nur tive yokels respond with a rood dear of ordinary human kindness to oven feeble attempt to be as decent aw Not Too Op tion did run away with a ing stock, but the engines y being rehabilitated at con lo cost and are seoinge into ser they emerge from the shops and, with a little pressure,—the freight ears will probably return to their normal functions—-since the young Marshal says that they should—which the writer believes is a fairly sound pledge that they: will This may sound unduly optimistic, the effect of yamen glamour, but don't thiok so, Manchuria is. pecul larly true to its word. A spirit of good faith prevails here which getting rare and hard to find somewhat the same basis as. the Ca-lfonye business in Can ton of the 18th century when no ever wrote of signed a document. press from Mukden }.a few days ago complet loss as to how to connections with the Chinese astern Railway train for Harbin. Tt was dark, cold and windy. Everyone else seemed to know just what to do, ind T had no idea how to proceed.
A porter in uniform straggled past, 'a burly middle-aged man. I asked him if he was engaged and he said was not. In the next half much the hand a stray: por If is done politely, and ask him to and buy' tickets, shire Tuyeseayee andi what not and ure of honesty: and courtesy' as one woud be in Avizona—if done in th ante spirit. Be rough with thea people and they. are ruyeh, No hu= mans being can he so likeable as the well approached rutlian. The Hung-Iitze usually hewt upon being: roub with foreigners, good out of his way lo be ood fellow if prow approached. I have hear it complained that the Harbin seryanta are very' independent, L was therefore somewhat surprised by te oxtremely punctilious manners that found and the good service that got in Harbin, It has often been said that the Chinese police in Hat hin go out of their way to be di agreeable to foreigners, so the writer made a particular point, when walks, of asking the Chinese police for iirvetions and found them very willing to be helpful and unfailing-courteous. Possibly they are very rude to the rude, for these Shantung emigres are certainly indepen dent and sure of themselves; but. certain that they are cly to old a contest in politeness with a rane who wants to unders take it. mute I learned that his name was that he came from Yenchowfu, still there but that two song were with him here and and the Rus; polite, The ehaulfeu Harbin are all Russian and they look a {er room boy i Mullen aso tnt aghter was married to alor.
Tf one has sreup of tron wil a small argument
peg ler gp tamenag though nothing, would Ive so much to their pleasure as a murder. Then in China will discount by a one says "please" and the entire percentage. company bows as though at the Waist Hine, removes its col. The Elder Brother Takes Charge Io, lection. of srreasy_ cans, grins and At any rate I said: "Elder brother Liny will you be good enough
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.