We have received from the Good Roads Movement of China a very interesting paper on the "Boxer Indemnity Fund and National Road Construction" by Mr. Chow Kuo-hung, translated by Mr. Joe Sing-no, together with a supplement by Mr. Loh Chi-fu, The paper deals at length with the history of the Boxer troubles and of the attempts made at various times to have the Boxer Indemnity returned to China. Dr. Wu Ting-fang was one of the earliest and strongest advocates of this. urging the return as far back as 19l4, Now that resolutions have been passed by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and the Good Roads Movement requesting the Powers to return the indemnity in order to utilize vho services of disbanded soldiers for road construction, the writer suggests that the funds be turned over ta a joint commission of the Chambers of Commerce and the Good Roads Movement for the purpose of constructing roads and with a view to maintaining efficient supervision. over its expenditure and keeping an accurate account of the money placed at its disposal, Otherwise, he states, it vill not only be contrary to the wishes of the Powers but detrimental to the problem of road construction and—the welfare of China.
The funds so returned to China it is proposed to expend ow the construction of national. rather than provincial roads. The work of construction of these national roads should be carried out with as much speed as possible, branching out from the capital to the various provinces. The most important roads, which should veeeive first attention, in the writer's opinion. would be to the northwest. ds the northeast, where the development of industry, commerce, mining and civilization is absolutely essential.
"As the main cause of the slow advance in national highways on the part of Ghina is due to the lack of funds for this—purpose." states the writer, "we have little hope for better results in the next 20 years without the immediate help of the Indemnity funds. With our Government in trouble and financially embarrassed, it is impossible to obtain loans, and it is just. in nick of time that the solutions have been passed. not only because the term of extension for the payments expires this year, which payments we can no jonger refuse to meet, but because the success of the road problem is dependent upor_ nothing but the return of this fund. Our only hope of ultimate success depends upon the Powers who have in the past opened their great hearts with sympathy and understanding
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.