It was also reported that several villages in the vicinity of Hsuchowfu. have been burned to the ground and their inhabitants left to wander about the countryside after being visited by military authorities in search of guerillas, In one case it is reported that à small church was entered during à service and all members of the congregation were searched, after which, all those men not wearing a small button carried by Chinese Christians in that area were taken outside the church, lined up and shot. A foreigner who arrived upon the scene about fifteen minutes after the incident took place related the happening to authorities but received no explanation other than the statement that guerillas must be eliminated.
Although country people in the vicinity of Hsuchowfu will have a bumper crop of wheat this year, subjection to the frequent sorties of military police and guerillas threatens te make it impossible for them to reap a harvest, and their situation is, in most villages extremely difficult, 3 Edgerley, who made £100,- by doing carting work for the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.