CHINA’S WEIRD WARFARE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17009, 16 April 1926, Page 9

CHINA’S WEIRD WARFARE.

POKER GENERALS. Recent cables re the lighting in China have been exciting much interest amongst those m any nay connected with the country, but to the average layman it should be explained that Chinese warfare is not warfare as visualised by our Western standards. Eirsi, let us take the soldier. Ostensibly the Chinese soldier is comparatively well paid, is equipped with clothing, and fed. Actually this is far from being the case. Admittedly the money is received for his pay, hut it never, even by a stray chance, reaches him. ibe generulalissimo first subtracts a healthy sum for his own personal uses, then hands the residue to his subordinate officers. They in turn, and according to their rank, detract their little lot, and it v can he easily seen that, by the time it reaches our Chinese.'“Tommy” there is Jiitlo if any left. MONEY for troops gambled AWAY. .liven so, his life would not be su miserable were it nut for many other j little drawbacks. For instance, the money issued for his new uniform and boots is ursnped by his superior officers to purchase for them a few more wives, or to settle their gambling debts. Consequently lie lias ;t threadbare, cotton uniform, with straw sandals between him and tile winter blasts, instead of a warm, new cotton-lined one, and warm leather boots. Money is provided for his feeding and quarters, but this also is taken by the aforesaid superior officers, and be is compelled to billet him- 1 self on the people by force, and to feed himself as best he can by force. The generals strut about in costumes ga ywitli epaulettes and plumes, ride milk white ponies and carry scraping swords. Poker is their national game. No more mail jongg lor our Chinese “Eoches.” Mali jongg is now the foreignu 1 devils’ game, and poker is far more ex- i citing. Enormous sums are won and lost daily, and advancement in rank comes as much from puker ability as from military ability. The rifles they .are issued are, in the majority of eases, old German carbines, the barrel distorted and . twisted into shapes and rusted beyong recognition, j It is a common saying in China that so 1 long as a soldier aims at you, then all 1 is well; were lie (o aim at something else, then it would certainly be danger- • ous. ' I TROOPS CARRY BIRD AND | UMBRELLA. There is- no age limit to the soldier • and it, is a common thing to see a hoary * old grandfather marching next a perky youth of fifteen summers. Every , soldier’s equipment includes an umbrella and a bird in a cage. Frequently j tlio writer lias seen an army advancing, j dragging their rifles and bayonets in l tiie dust and proudly bolding their birds . in one band and their umbrellas in the 1 other. On a wet day the battle, be it ever I so important, is postponed, owing to the ’ necessity lor using umbrellas and lending their birds, who fall sick in wet. weather. The recent influx of Russian refugees into China is lowering the prestige of: the foreigner hut raising the standard of Chinese warfare. It is impossible for n Russian to compete with the coolie in manual labor, none of the foreign firms will have anything to do with him, and he is compelled to enlist in the Chinese' army, to doss with the coolie, eat with the private, and drill with him. One cun quite easily appreciate the viewpoint of the Chinese soldier towards the white man when he realises this. He says to himself on associating with these Russians: “This also is a white man. He is no better than I: in fact lie is not so good as I.” ■ When they have been used to looking up to a while man as a little tin god, it is a great revelation to them when, - they sec that he has feet of clay. This 1 is at the root of the present anti-foreign 1 feeling. BIG BATTLE: TWELVE DEAD. j They have no method in their fight- i ing. Promiscuous firing is indulged in, instead of organised volleys. Rarely is , a battle fought when more than a dozen i men are killed. At any time half the army is liable to desert. It depends mainly who is getting the best of the i battle. If flic opposing side shows every i sign of emerging triumphant, quite hall of the weaker army is liable to run over to the stronger side and throw in their Jof with them. With the advent of the Russo-Chinese soldier these conditions are gradually improving. Borne generals have instituted an air force, while others have gone in for armored cars. A company of soldiers once hoarded a train on which the writer was travelling. It was one of the Chinese Government railways, yet, witho.uk tickets, they commandeered the train. The writer was forced to turn out of his bed and sleep on a, wooden-lloored cattle truck, whilst filthy coolies ripped (lie leather upholstery with bayonets and literally •wrecked the train. Then, feeling thirsty, they decided to make ten, their universal drink. They obtained a sugar bag, fdled

it with tea leaves, stopped the train, and swooshed it hack and forth jn the boiler of the engine. They then turned a. tap, and all had tea. Having regaled themselves, they murdered the driver of the train and drove, it themselves at a tremendous speed until it was derailed. At the first'sign of trouble the farmers tear up the railway lines, so that troops can not he moved by rail. Although it is fast improving, the present-day Chinese warfare and' their modus operandi in military affairs are the standing iolce of the Westerner. tnmmmmmmmmmmmmm