Though it was generally supposed that all the bandits in this district had finally been driven away, there seem to be some still hiding in the hills oF residing in the villages as peaceful citizens, coming out only on occasions when they see a chance of making 2 raid without hurt to themselves.
Under such circumstances there is only one course for the troops to pursue and that is to entirely exterminate the villagers, though unfortunately in such cases the innocent suffer with the guilty.
There are many who consider the extermination of villagers would be fan inhuman action but in cases such fs these where the bandits absolutely refuse to be subdued and are assisted by the villagers, it is dificult to find any other way of putting an end to this kind of guerilla warfare.
In cases of this kind in the lower reaches of the Sungari, drastic m sures have been taken, but asthe Jand in that part of Manchoukuo is very flat, it Is easier for the troops to carry out their operations. On the eastern line the great hills and for-fests give bandits such opportunities as they have nowhere else in Northern Manchuria, Harbin, Apr. 20, very. sensational scene was witnessed' on the Sungari River Yesterday morning when the Rus-. Sian owner of a house situated on the other side of the stream attempted to cross the river in a boat, while the ice was in motion.
The day before the river had become quite clear of any ice and it Was not expected that any more foes would come down stream, but during the night there was a sudden rush of ice floes, making the river crossing dangerous once more.
This Russian, whose name was Stombulsky, laughed at the warn~ ings of the River Police, consider~ ing that the ice was not very strong and that he could push his way through, but it was not long before At was seen that his boat was being crushed between the floes, being finally Jifted out of the water on to the ice. Seeing the dangerous [position that the man occupied, Several of the River Police ventured take another boat to try and bring him back, but all their fon were in vain as the Ice was getting thicker and it was impos-Sible for any boat to find @ passage through.
For five hours crowds of people fon both banks of the river watched the man and his boat on the {ce, which was slowly making its way towards" the railway bridge, and from which he was. calling loudly for help.
The manager of the Life Saving Station saw that ther chance of saving the man the assistance of the members the River Police Force, he rushed on to the railway bridge and threw down ropes of such a Jength that it man on the ice to get hold of one of them and thus, after what seemed to be certain death, the man was once more brought to land.
Every year there are many people who attempt to erots the river while the ice is breaking up and every year some one 1s drowned owing 10 his obstinacy in going against the advice of the River Police, In. the Present case it was absolutely a @iracle that the "man was fina Saved and it is not at all likely' that will ever again risk is life in a similar manner.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.