Vivid Picture of War-Threatened City by Lady Resident Who Escaped on Last Train To anyone who lived in Hankow before the Japanese began their invasion of China and who has visited it again lately, the contrast is very striking. It is also a very depressing one.
Hankow's destiny seems linked with. trouble and strife. Durng the Re-
Volution of 1911 it suffered very severely; and again during 1926-1907. Then followed a series of natural catastrophics, Depressions, floods, Óamines—and now it is threatened again, threatened as never before. One wonders if this is going to prove the last straw that will break the camel's back; or whether unfortunate and much tried Hankow will rise again and become what she was intended to be—China's largest and most prosperous inland city.
It is an unpleasant place to live in just now. The streets are crowded and full of leprous beggars, whose presence would never have been tolerated a year ago. Great gates stand at the entrance to most of the ex-concessions—now called S.A.D.'s (Special Administrative Districts). The French Concession the only foreign one left, built its stout wooden gates first and manned them with Annamite sentries. The richer Chinese poured into it immediately, feeling that should the Japanese ever take Hankow they would be safe both from retreating, looting Chinese soldiers and from the invaders. Walls were increased in height, barbed wire entanglements appeared bristling on the streets; daily the place grew more crowded and landlords were able to rent one small room for as much as $500 a month. At one time there were as many as 28,000 people in this small area, One asks who they are and whence they go; why they have to walk; why no one is caring for them. The answer is a shrug. They are "soldiers, lucky to be alive, to be able to walk" and that is al. It is a pathetic sight to see the constant stream moving apathetically, so obviously ill and weary. Cars dash along the Bund and these men limp on foot, lame and wounded. But one hears that the hospitals are full and are doing their best.
Food is very dear and yet the cafes and night clubs are full—till 1030 pin. They are crowded with well dressed young Chinese men and women who dance nightly and seem to have plenty of money to spend.
The Hankow Race Club seems strangely quiet without its usual cheerful groups of members on the terraces and in the rooms. Here and there one still sees small groups. Maybe a couple of tables in the bridge room, or two or three people reading, but there is a stillness that is almost startling and voices echo in the empty rooms, The children's garden, once so full of busy, small figures and their attendant amahs, is silent and deserted. The stables are almost empty of ponies and the mafoos who remain are glum and morose. It is a bad time for them and they must dream of the good old days when the stalls were full of lively ponies and race days came along with all their excitement and bustle, So Hankow waits—for what...? cee N
At the Grocers' Exhibition Many "grocerettes" will be among ihe thousand entries of master grocers, assistant grocers and managers in the championship competitions at me forthcoming Grocers' Exhibition. Miss J. R. Macfarlane, of St. Andrew's, Fife, hopes to win the coffee blending and roasting challenge cup. She is the first woman to enter this competition, Miss Elsie Price, an English girl, will again compete in the bacon handling competition, Against a stop watch, she must cut up a side of bacon, weigh out the pieces, price them, and then slice, weigh and wrap 4 lb. of bacon and two gammon rashers. She must also display the rest for retail sale. A side of bacon weighs about 60 Ib!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.