Shanghai, May 20.
The situation in the north-western provinces was reviewed in an interview with a representative of the "Noith-China_" Herald" yesterday Mr. T. V. Soong, a member of the National Economic Council's standing. committee, who has just returned to Shanghai from an extensive tour of the "remote provinces of Kansu, Shensi, Ningshia and Chinghai, Mr, Soong said he regarded the future of the North-west with optimism partly because of the fact that, following drought in successive years, these Femole provinces had been' during the past two years favoured by adequate rainfall, and. also because of the readiness' with which the government officials of the north-western provinces faced hardships. Both the military leaders and civil' officials of the north-west took an active part in local affairs and bore hardships with firmness, which spirit deserved praise, while a warm tribute should be paid the Rovernment troops of those provinces, Who worked hard in building roads and irrigation schemes. As a result of his (our in the North-west, ho was, the opinion that the problem of the North-west was easier of solution than the problem of the North-east racial differences, which were great during the Manchu time, had disappeared since the establistiment of the Republican regime.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.