It seems curious to those who know the place that Yenan should have become the Mecca of Chinese enthusiastic youth. Tt was stated at tone time that 700 students a week were trekking thither from all parts China, expecting to find Utopia or at east a promise of it. A number of foreigners have visited the place this summer and all have been impressed with the sincerity of the lenders, though opinions differ as to) the value of what is being done there.
'Yenan is a small town, formerly with a population of 3,000, It lies' among Loess hills at the junction of three valleys in a very thinly peopled country. The influx of visitors has created both a food and housing problem, the latter of which is solved by the hollowing out of caves where [both the university and the medical unit find their habitation. Some is teresting people are there: a Chinese' Christian doctor who has been with the Chinese Communist army from the beginning of their wanderings; an American whose English name has not been divulged, a former Chinese Jcinema star; a well known literary man and the son of a famous Sing: pore millionaire are all living in roughest way.
All in the community address each other as "Tungchih (Comrade) Jo good deal of frankness of exhort tation and as it is necessary to appeal rather than command there are sometian Church. 'The church building in 'Yenan is indeed being used as a central hall for meetings but there is no other place suitable and other mission properly has been respected. In this church one visitor saw a play' jected by the students representing Hitler and Mussolini first fraternizing fand then being haunted by Abyssi-Mian and Spanish ghosts. "Econo-tically the Communist administration, while considering the poorest, exacts some good from the thrifty peasant in theory of so called "contributions."
The wheat in Shensi has this year harvest was much hindered by rain. Abundance of food has given the people hope even in these dangerous times and somewhat checked the rising cost of living.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.