(Delayed in the Post)
Hwalking, Ho, Jan. 19. The first snow of this winter is now gradually, melting into the winter Wheat fields. While the snow, cold and. wet adds to the hardship of soldiers, refugees and specially' the wounded and sick in the war zone, yet there is no complaint because the Zoming wheat harvest Is so anxiously hoped for by all having suffered from food, war and very high grain prices, It is not only: the usual poor that Ihave to eat black cereals or something worse this year; the head of a family of five who owns 20 mow of Jand said to the writer one day: "Our food bowls have had nothing white for the fast six months and from now anti the wheat harvest, even such as it can only hope for two half meals each day." It Is the disrupted village and family life that to a great extent has made living expensive.
One method that has helped greatly to steady and maintain the usual life of the suffering villager in this area and prevent them them from "taking. to the road" has been that of organiz-Ing mutual aid groups and providing them with small loans. This method enabled thousands of farmers to sow their wheat fields, and then to help those "who san "be carriers from market to market, and barrowman to Push coal from coal mine to con sumer, keep farm carts busy and burden animals, revive the household industry of spinning and weaving for themselves Instead of depending upon the luxury of cotton mill thread, and continue the many other activities of ordinary village rife that usually helps to feed and cloth and shelter the peasant In his home surroundings and prevent his becoming a wanderer (OF a pauper.
Many such groups have been formed.
12 thousands of people have been helped to be self-supporting and selt-respecting citizens, during a time when the very foundations of ordinary Tite are velng disrupted." Courage is not usually lacking where self-respect and' self-support can be maintained. China Commis-slon and a study and practice of their method of ce-operatives during the past three or four years an effective way Of giving relief at this time has been found ready at hand. For ancial support the help of the China International Famine Relief Commission, The National Christian Council and the International Red Cross, has been gre:
Mobile Units Operating Chinese mobile units operating now in North Honan as well os in so many War Zone areas throughout China make. avery interesting comparison with former milliary units In pre-war time. Their stealthy movements under cover of darkness, their rapid departure and arrival indicating feMiclent secret service work, their ready adaptation to desert, plain and mountain life, their effective military Use Ju spite of light equipment and their remarkable consideration of the common people stands out. in great contrast to the old time military unit, So often the writer has heard it said by the common people; "It is the soldier that is suffering in this war and not only the people." Meaning that in former times so often the people suffered at the hands of the Military who only thought of their own welfare. The new altitude of the soldier in general ig doing a lot to create and further a feeling of united national resistance.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.