The San Francisco call., 1899-04-17
CHINESE ARE SCAVENGERS
OF THE FILIPINO WAR
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

MANILA, March 19.-War has be-
come so commonplace an experience to
Manila that the average citizen no
longer thinks of becoming excited over
it. Every night some point of the hori-
zon is crimsoned by the reflection from
burning huts kindled by the soldiers to
deprive the insurgents of hiding places.
livery nights quiet is shaken by the
firing from the line encompassing the
city. Every morning brings it's pitiful
little consignment of uncomplaining
wounded to the hospital.
Manila forms an American oasis in
the island of LuZon. Around the city
stretches a thin line fifteen miles long
of entrenched soldiers.
The Filipino goes into the field unen-
numbered with useless baggage. Fol
lowing the course of their retreat be-
yond Guadalupe Church went the SOU
Venir enthusiasts who hang about the
American army, but they found moth
ing more than few tin cooking uten-
sils and empty cartridge shells. whose
pattern prove that the insurgents have
the very latest style of rifles. Trousers
or underwear, shirt worn outside
them, straw hat, cartridge belt and
rifle a section of bamboo stalk filled
with rice, a handful of green peppers
tied in a handkerchief, sometimes san
dalS-theSe form the equipment OF a
Filipino soldier.
No finer country for defensive fight
ing and no more embarrassing for Of
fensive operations than the land around
Pasig Lake could be imagined.
The Chinese are the scavengers of the
war. Like vultures, they hover in the
wake of the army, flocking down upon
II ~ nf a
churches to dig out stuff that no white
man could possibly use. Being beyond
suspicion of any interest in the hostili-
ties save gain, thev are admitted to
the camps and employed as servants.
Some of them peddle water and cigar
cites on the line One more daring than
most crept about the trenches of the
Kansans under a hot fire and did a
good trade. When competitors ap-
peared he hastened to point out to them
the spot where a soldier had been
wounded, seemingly impressing on
them the dangers of their position. for
they ran away.
The forces of destruction are concen-
trated upon the churches. They are
all solid buildings of stone, so the ma
tives use them as forts. Some church
has served as the keystone of nearly
every Filipino defense, and the Ameri-
can artillery is compelled to batter
them. Caloocan church is a picture of
the havoc of war There General Mac
Rrthur has his headquarters. The roof.
a sky-blue fresco studded with gilt
stars, has jagged holes where shells
from Dewey's ships came through.
Within the chancel rail is the office of
the staff and the pulpits are used for
desks. The rail holds a string of sad
dies, telephone hangs beside the
statue of a saint, while the telegraph
clicks incessantly in an alcove. Cots
and hammocks fill the body of the
church, where soldiers are sprawled out
smoking and reading when off duty
A hospital occupies a chapel in a cor
ner. The soldiers do not lack rever-
ence, but everything must bend before
their work.
General Otis has put a stop to the
plans of officers who wanted to bring
their wives and families to Manila. He
said: This is not picnic nor G.. A.
R. encampment. This is war"