One is also struck by the immense number of government soldiers that swarm in such cities as Liuanchow on the Red frontier. Fixed bayonets gleam at scores of doorways as one walks down the street, while everywhere are to be seen those uniforms which almost every dweller in the interior hag learnd to associate with brutal disregard of private property and utter contempt for law and order. One soon learns to distinguish two quite contesting types of soldiers. The frst and fortunately the type which now controls the army, is the ambitious and patriotic oticer who)
anxious to develop a modern and well-trained army, "These men are almost always polite and considerate: to both foreigners and educated Chinese. It is a pleasure to meet these men and to know that they will ultimately get control of the unruly and vicious element in the armies.
The second type one knows only to0 well: here is a picture of him. The public bus on which we were riding was crowded to the doors and the driver refused to take on another person. As we passed though o village six soldiers jumped on the running boards of the bus and when politely requested to get off by the driver, refused to move, on any conditions whatsoever. The driver refused to proceed, and got out of the car. A long altercation followed with endless loud and violent talk. All the passengers, bystanders, other soldfers, bus station officials, etc, begged the' most persistent of' the soldiers to get off and let. the bus proceed. By the possessors of the gun all the begging of the gentlemanly bus station officials, and the determined driver were scored. Here was the protector of the people in that very village defying all law, and reason as well. Oh, for a rough and ready court-martial by some superior officer in Farmers From Oun Own Comtsroxoet as the man surely deserved. At last the driver declared he would retura rather than be forced to carry even tone of the men who had no right to ride. He warned the car round and proceeds to carry out his threat. The soldiers. were pulled off the car by' their companions, and the driver then turned round again and getting up enough speed so the soldiers could is hot jump on again he rushed through the village past them and on his way rejoicing.
This is not an isolated instance but a daily occurence on the roads in the neighbourhood of large army posts. AS we sped on we passed tone spot where human bodies. lay' beside the road near great splotches of blood not yet covered by dust. During the night bandits had raided the place for the few dollars they' could wrest from the people.
Which Are the Worts 'This is the Red frontier: soldiers, audits, and Reds. Which is the worst?' Nine-tenths of the country, people will say that the soldiers are far the worst. We crossed over into the territory recently recovered from, the Reds and questioned the people. "What did you do when the' Reds The unanimous reply was, "We! ran away." Not one would admit of having been here when the Reds were in control for that would be almost equal to admitting they had been Communists.
These people had kept in irregular! touch with their homes while the Reds were in coutel and none of them had any words of approval for the Communist rule. Perhaps this was partly polley, for it would very unsafe to show any approval for. the Communists now that the military have occupied the territory. While the Reds were in control only the best land was cultivated because of scarcity of labour. The testimony was all £0 the effect that the Communist organization took everything produced and allowed only enough for food to the farmer. The people were quite willing to admit that the Communist teaching was. very. good In theory, but that in the clrcumstances it did not work out. wel this, however, being due more to the situation than to the system being! at fault, Most of the land taken back from the Communists is already under cultivation again. The drought of the past summer has helped to develop an immense number of bandits, Dut the people with the wonderful persistence of the Chinese farmer are steadily at work. They have developed a stolid acceptance of the bandit situation just as they have of the military. "They cannot get rid of one any easier than they can got rid of the other so both must be put up with until they eliminate themselves from the picture.
Fortunately the provincial as well as the national government is taking fan interest in the condition of the farmer. Pehaps wheels will be set motion to improve his lot now. that the improvement of rural eonditions have become a major polley In government circles.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.