Soochow, Jan Conditions Soochow rema unchanged.
Business has improved and the country' people:
ne to complain of robbers. The prices of wood have gone steadily up and supplies are becoming limited. The timber that is now being cut has required about fifteen years {0 grow and in ease the present use continues acute shortage must be: felt by next year.
Rice is quoted today at $21 for one picul. One of the biggest troubles right now is shortage. of small change. This hits the pedlar and the! small shop very hard. Large stores cither are crediting the customer with an advance deposit or _requesting exter change with pur chase.
Some deaths of beggars from posure are being reported. Rice is being. distributed from several centres Jand " clothing given, but should weather become colder there will be by way of Chengchow id_ Kaifeng. Passing from Chinese int Japanese= controlled territory.
The eily of Sian, the travellers stated, far from having been "obliterted," as claimed by the Japanese after their heavy raids during. Octo-bor, presented a comparatively normal appearance, "The Drum Tower, age-old landmark. in the centre of the town, has had one of its corners. blown away; the YW.C.A, "Hostel has disappeared—only a crater remains; the Bank of China and the modern Guest "House have been damaged. Otherwise, there are few signs of destruction, The visitors added that the morale of the people continued to be amar ingly high." Merchants, however, were experiencing considerable dimculty in obtaining goods to sell Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.