TROUBLE IN CHINA.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 8 April 1927, Page 5

TROUBLE IN CHINA.

JAPS DEFENDING CONCESSION

SITUATION BECOMING WORSE AT HANKOW. (Per Press Association—Copyright.) SHANGHAI, April 7. Th,e latest wireless from Hankow indicates that the Japanese are determinedly defending the Concession on which the Chinese troops are not permitted to trespass. There is already a landing party of three hundred ashore. This will be doubled on the arrival of the cruiser Tentyre The general situation is reported to be steadily becoming worse. Lawlessness is on the increase and Hankow is being gradually emptied of all foreign residents. Russians and Germans are not hurriedly joining the general exodus. A general atmosphere of uneasiness prevails in the native districts. In accordance with the decision to completely evacuate the- up-river areas, British gunboats, consuls and communities have been brought from Chung-King, Ichang, Changsha and Chenglin. At Shanghai the curfew was eased one bout to the eleven o’clock limit.

RAID ON SOVIET LEGATION AT SHANGHAI. A PROTEST TO BE MADE. WASHINGTON, April 7. Unofficial but authoritative reports here to-day stated that the for eign diplomatic corps in Pekin are expected to protest to the local authorities against the unauthorised invasion of the Russian Legation Guard and Compound. In connection with the authorised Chinese raid on the adjoining private Russian property, the State Department has announced that the Senior Minister on behalf of the diplomatic quarter, authorised i,he Chinese authorities to search on 6th April the property of the Russian Dahl Bank and the Russian Eastern Chinese Railway, but gave no authorisation for Hie raid on the adjacent compound, after which the Chivese went beyond the authorisation and raided the compound also.

U.S.A. MARINES FOR SHANGHAI

SAIL FROM SAN DIEGO. WASHINGTON, April 7. A message from San Diego states that 1500 marines sailed for Shanghai on the transport Henderson. ' ~ THE NEW CHINESE SOLDIER. With Russian commanding officers drill instructors who have had their military training in the German style, the Chinese soldier has changed from the caricature he was in past yeans to that he is to-day (.writes “R.C.5..,” in the Sydney “Sun’’). In the Great War he was not particularly prominent. The Chinese Labour Corps did nothing to cover themselves with glory. Other troops who saw them at their work, scurrying into shell holes when a dhot was fired, and'-running helterskelter at the scream of a shell, gained their impression of the Chinese soldier from their behaviour. ,

Were they to see the present armies who are now fighting in China they would revise ‘their ideas considerably.

The officers in the higher positions are mostly Russians. With a true taste for the spectacular, they wear large yellow epaulettes on their shoulders. Their caps are gold-braided. Tightly-waisted uniforms of a good quality smoke-grey cloth, beautiful leather leggings and boots, and a glistening sword, complete their equipment.

The men's uniforms are of the same colour, but of very poor cotton. In the winter they offer no protection from the cold, and the soldiers are forced to buy raw cotton with the little money they get in wages, and stuff it inside their uniforms, with the result that in cold weather an army appears to consist of very stout grandfathers.

On their peaked caps they wear red bands, and on their legs tightly-wound puttees. Instead of the usual heavy military boot they wear grass-soled sandals.

The inclusion of Russian officertf in the Chinese army is the result, in the first place, of the refugees from the Cossack regiments wandering over into China, hard up, and not knowing where their next meal would come from, Foreign firsts would not take them on in any capacity

owing to loss of prestige for a white man to be. seen doing a coolie’s work. They reviewed their position, saw that they could not hope to compete with the Chinese coolies in manual labour, and decided to make a business of something they were really efficient at—soldiering.

The generals realised the value of these men as instructors. They treated them well, and the influence of their training soon spread and showed itself in the troops.' 1 Some of the present-day armies have battalions of Russians fighting for them; most armies have Russian officers and some Russian commanders. Semi-Western methods of drill have been adopted. In manoeuvres and methods cf attack they have copied the Russo-German method almost direct. Modern armies an'd ammunition have been supplied them. Schools for instruction and musketry have been established. Aeroplanes and seaplanes are now in daily use.

Men are recruited from the country farm®. taken from the field, and impressed into military service. A very small percentage of the armies join up voluntarily, attracted by the respect the average citizen has for any man in uniform.

The wearing of a uniform entitles a man to billet himself upon any house he likes, to take any little thing he fancies from stall-holders, and to generally give orders and shew his authority among'the townsfolk.

In Nanking (Kiangsu) there is, an enormous parade ground at the side of the Governor’s Yamen. Wheeling, turning masses of soldiers drill there. Occasionally the Governor rides out and inspects them. On the occasion of an official inspection battalion after battalion wheel past, thejr legs swinging rythmically in’—the gpose step!

The men are trained in climbing walls, in jumping, and in falling from heights. The Chinese army life is no life for the weakling. No ammunition is issued the troops except in time of war. The magazines are taken out of their rifles. Their bayonets are of the German type. Horses and ponies for officers are at a premium. Every horse Seen on a route march is commandeered. At the approach of marching troops whole villages have been known to desert, taking with them as much of their worldly goods as they could carry, and hide in hills until the danger has passed.

From the sketchy old warrior, with his enormous knife of old-time China, to the present-day well-drilled, well-equipped, and smart Chinese soldier is a long, step, but this change has been effected in the last years by the Russians and the Germans. A blessing or a curse 1

The most, fastidious woman will find her desire amongst the great variety of Face Powders displayed ar Bryan’a Pharmacy, “Hudnut,” ‘Houbigant’s” “Rivers,” “Gay Paree” to mention only a few. And all marked at lowest prices. B. A. Bryan, M.P.S., Prescription Chemist, Phone 9, Box 62, Waimate. 5

Mails close at the Waimate Post Office, at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday, April 9th., for Canada, United States of America, Mexico, West Indies, Great Britain, Ireland, and the Continent of Europe (via Vancouver); also Fiji, Hawaiian Islands and Japan, per “s.s. Niagara,” from Auckland.

There’s hay and straw up in the barn, Potatoes in the shed; Ihe ceiling s hung with onions ripe, And Mum is baking bread. There’s beef and pork and bacon too, We’ll never starve, I’m sure; And in the cupboard, friend, most true,

Is Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 59