FAMINE THREAT RECEDES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 126, 13 March 1950, Page 6

FAMINE THREAT RECEDES

POSITION IN CHINA FLOOD DAMAGE LESS THAN EXPECTED (From William Parrot.—N.Z.P.A.-Reuter Correspondent). HONG KONG. The threat of a winter famine over wide areas of North and Central China is fast receding, according to reports reaching Hong Kong. Earlier it was feared that thousands might persn through the effects of devastating summer floods in the Yangtse River Valley and of pestilence and brought in . the region around Peking./

Surveys show, however, that permanent damage to rice growing areas in the Yangtse Valley was not as bad as first believed, and that late crops both here and in the northern wheat areas are as good or better than usual.

With the peasants now promised a fairly, full rice bowl during the winter, the Communist authorities are reliev ed of what might have been a serious embarrassment during this important initial period of their administration. Famine would have brought angry stirrings from among the people which, observers believe, might have been translated into active hostility towards the Government for, however illogical the attitude may be, the Chinese peasant invariably attributes his fortune and misfrtune to the administration in control.

The Communists, on their part, am doing their best to improve the distribution of food and oilier commodities throughout the country. Foreigners just arrived from Shanghai stress how efficiently the railways and river shipping services are being run, but rail and river traffic near ( the coast, particularly in the Shanghai region, is seriously restricted by the constant threat of attack from marauding Nationalist aircraft. The Nationalists have already taken toll of river craft and trains to such an extent that rail traffic out of Shanghai and river services on the Lower Yangtse are being run at night only.

Effect of Raids

Frequent Nationalist raids on Shanghai have made it increasingly difficult to keep the city’s population calm and contented. There was a growing impression, according to a foreign arrival that the Nationalist attacks on Shanghai were developing into terror raids, for there were apparently no military targets in districts recently bombed. This foreigner said hundreds of people had been killed and wounded in the raids and the city’s population was growing nervous.

' One of the positive steps being taken by the Communists to create contentment in Shanghai in face of this and other problems was to ensure that food was plentiful and cheap. The foreigner said that this was having the opposite effect in the country districts supplying the food. Farmers were showing growing resentment as heavier demands were made on their stocks at prices considered unsatisfactory. There were reports, the foreigner said, that many farmers would severely restrict the plantings next season. Reports from inland China still record the activities of - thousands of Nationalist irregulars in remote parts of Anhwei, Honan and Hupeh Provinces. These irregulars, it is stated, offer no threat to the Communist administration which is not greatly perturbed by their existence. Broadly speaking, the mass of the Chinese people are said x o be settling down fairly ljappily under the new regime. Some cities, particularly Nanking, the former Nationalist capital, have felt the hand of the new masters more heavily simply because the new broom has swept more thoroughly where the enemy was strongest. Many heads have naturally fallen among officials in the Civil Service and there has been widespread but unexpressed resentment at the amount of time that must be devoted to political training and indoctrination. * Among some classes an to the Communists, perhaps characteristically Chinese, is that the new regime no longer tolerates “squeeze” and other unofficial but traditional ways of making extra money.