WAIRARAPA DAILY TIMES [Established Third of a Century.] FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1914. THE "WHITE WOLF."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11938, 27 March 1914, Page 4

WAIRARAPA DAILY TIMES [Established Third of a Century.] FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1914. THE "WHITE WOLF."

Recently cabled news from China told of the raids made by "white wolves," but there was nothing to indicate who these white wolves were. The messages led one to understand that they were human "wolves," but the'information, ended there. The "Celestial Empire," a Shanghai, journal, supplies the missing link, and at the same times takes the Government to task for not adopting sterner measures to rid the country of the brigand chief.who is terrorising it. The following appeared in the journal mentioned hist month: —"The Chinese Government ought to be thoroughly ashamed of the way they have allowed the brigand chief, known as ' White Wolf, , to carry on his work of destruction, murder and robbery. For months he has been allowed to destroy and pillage prosperous cities and towns. Now and then government soldiers have been sent against him, but they appear to treat the people no better than the brigands, except in the matter of murdering them. People have had to (lee from their home, whilst others who have remained have been robbed of all they possess and their wives and daughters have been outraged and many taken away from their homes and never heard of again. The followers of the brigand chief have been allowed to increase in numbers, not having been put down with a strong hand at the. first, but rather encouraged by the officials. In not a few cases the officials were cowards. Soldiers in insufficient numbers have been sent to capture or disperse the brigands. These troops have been defeated, their guns and ammunition captured, while some of the soldiers have been deserting and joining the brigands. It will be seen in an. account given in another column that 'White Wolf , has again defeated the Government troops, and killed four hundred people at Sangcheng, and that a thousand of the soldiers have joined the robbers. It is reported that a market town on the border of Honan and Anhwei has been completely depopulated, men, women and children being

butchered. What can Yuan Shih-kai be thinking about to allow brigands to commit depredations in his own native province? He could send a sufficient force to capture Nanking; why is it he is unable 'to disperse a number of brigands'? Such incompetency is a disgrace to him and tho Chinese Government. It is evident .that, the' Honan troops are not to bo trusted, for they seem to be in league with 'White Wolf , and his crowd, and the sooner a sufficient number of troops that can be trusted are sent aginst these marauders the better it Avill be for the poor people who are now being driven from their homes. The President ha-d better do something moro tangible than the issuing of foolish mandates in regard to putting down this robber chief, or he will be accounted unworthy of the position he now holds."