Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-03-21
THE HORRORS IN CHINA.
War Correspondent Describes
Atrocities Committed by Allies.
SAYS MORE TROUBLE is CERTAIN.

The Punitive Expeditions" De-
| scribed.
Mr.. George Lynch. the London war
| artist and correspondent now on his
| way home from Picking, has given to
| the New York World the newest facts
from the scene of the present trouble
| in China. He says that Russia, France
| and Germany have treated the Chinese
Iatrociously and that these powers are
scheming to grab more Chinese terri
| tory. He believes that the conflict be-
| tween China and the powers will be
renewed. He says:
The latest dispatches from Picking
tell of an imperial edict ordering the
punishment by execution. suicide or
Punishment OF eight noblemen and one
general as partial reparation TO the Of
Tended powers. This. it is said, is not
exactly what the ministers demanded,
but they will probably accept it.
Prince Tuan and Duke Ian, it ap-
pears, are to be disgraced and exiled;
Prince Chwang, Wing Men and Chao
Shu Chiao are to be ordered to commit
suicide; Hsu Chen Yu. Yu Hsien and
Ki Hahn are to be beheaded, while
| there is a private understanding that
General Tung Flu Hsiang's life will be
taken as soon as possible.
Prince Tuan and Duke Ian to be dis
graced means about as much to them
as a scolding to a mischievous school
boy. Their exile viii be nothing but
brief removal to some other province.
As for the princes TO be beheaded,
there is many a slip between the Chi
nese sword and the head. Probably
we shall receive reports of the behead-
ing in due season, but the probabilities
are that three low caste Chinese sub
stitutes will have been executed. Such
things happen regularly.
The three princes ordered to commit
suicide may possibly do so. We are
sure to receive reports that they have
taken their own lives. The form fol-
lowed in these cases is full of ceremo-
NAL usage. If a nobleman must die,
he considers it a great honor to re-
ceive from the emperor a silken cord
which a court messenger puts in his
hands. The silken cord itself is a COM
mand to the recipient to use it to stran-
gle himself with. The prince receiving
il goes to Il large room, chamber re-
served for state occasions. Thither he
calls his family and all his dependents
TO witness his exit. He makes n little
speech, gives them fatherly advice,
tells them that the emperor has invited
him to die and thereupon, fitting the
silken moose about his neck, strangles
himself. Etiquette fOrbids that any
one should hinder him. But as this
ceremonial taking off occurs far within
= m Of
palace those familiar with the Chinese
form of veracity may be pardOned if
they doubt the reports we shall soon
hear of the suicide of Prince Chwang,
Wing Men and ChaO Shu Chiao.
General Tung Flu Hsiang's case is the
funniest of all. 1t is as if Mr.. Kruger
should say to Lord Salisbury, 1T is
understood that you shall take De
Vets life-when you catch him." Cen
eraI Tung is 500 miles away from for
eign invasion and with an army of not
less than 5000 nor more than 10000
Chinese fighting men under his COM
mand.
1t seems to me that prospect of
peaceful settlement of the Chinese trou-
BILE grows fainter every day. The Rus
sian, French and German forces are
constantly committing acts OF violence
that keep the Chinese in a ferment.
Undoubtedly the indemnity that these
nations will demand will be beyond the
power of the Chinese government to
pay. When the effort is made, the
country will rise in rebellion. Insur-
rections are even now begun in several
provinces.
In default of the impossible indem-
nifty doubtless the powers will claim
more Chinese territory. Then will come
a renewal Of hostilities. This seems in
evitable The conduct of the French,
Germans and Russians from the begin
ming of the Chinese trouble up to the
time 1 left Picking, two months ago,
indicates desire to drive the Chinese
into instruction.
/ have been through several wars,
but in none of them have 1 ever known
the soldiers TO be animated with such
ferocity as in this. Ordinarily the sol
dier goes about the business of making
war as any other man goes about his
daily affairs, but in this Chinese expe-
dition the spirit of slaughter seems to
prevail everywhere.
The so called punitive expeditions
punitive picnlcS, call them-haVe Deen
mere excuses for plumber. The Ger
mans have been most aggressive In
these enterprises, with the French and
Russians a close second.
The Germans came to Picking two
weeks after the fighting was over.
They were naturally eager to take re-
venge for the murder of their embassa-
dor, so they began to send out ''puni-
tive expeditions" which ranged in size
from a battalion to several regiments
and which ravaged the country in ey-
cry direction within 20 miles of Pc
king. The soldiers murdered China
men whether they had been Boxers or
not. There seemed to be no control
over the men. Kill, burn and plumber
was the rule. Some German formulat-
ed the rule that a Boxer could be iden-
tilted by the mark on his right shout
dor oanGod hv his rife roSfinp fhprp