"From Oun' Own Connesrowonvr UN interesting picture of conditions in a town in that indeterminate area of hostilities in the vicinity of Hsuchowfu is given in this report from a "North-China Daily News" correspondent at Sutsien, North Kiangsu.
'This journal's correspondent is, normally, about 24 hours' distance from Shanghai, but, owing to the hostilities, mail from Shanghai reaches him from one to two months' time but this delay is not preventing this enterprising town from indulging in mercantile efforts along the Grand Canal and the creeks which are being exploited to provide another and quicker means of communication with Shangha hostilities not~ withstanding.
Sutsien, Ku, Mar, 7:
On December 15, 1937," when the people of Sutsien heard' that Nan-King had fallen, they began fleeing wildly into the country" districts. Some days later, a locai_ business man estimated that 80 per cent, of the population had left Sutsien. "As time passed and the Japanese did not arrive, the people began moving back into the city. At Chinese New Year, most of the inhabitants had returned except those who had gone to a ¢on* siderable distance. Some are in Shensi or Szechuen, Probably the crisis for this place has been only postponed, not averted; bhut the people are not so badly ex-elled now as they were In December. It does not appear likely that, heavy fighting will develop along this part of the Grand Canal soon, though there are: always plenty of rumours.
aeroplanes have been seen here for about a month, Meuchowtu falls, or If the Lung~ hat Railway is broken; this part of Kinngsu province will' probably fall Into the hands of the Japanese with on areal struggle.
Under the leadership of the Eh nese Government, a brave attempt is being made to maintain as many as possible of the ordinary activities of life in order to avoid unnecessary excitement and despair. Many primary schools have been opened for the spring term, but most of the junior middle schools are closed, Public school funds are scarce and hard to bbtainm and many of the middle school boys have left. their homes. Some of them have entered various kinds of training classes, and ome have gone west to avoid the war,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.