Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-12-25
u - I . 2.
LETTER FROM
PARKWAY CHINA
Willmar Boy Writes Interesting
Letter About Conditions
Kweiteh, Honan, Nov. 9Th, 1918

Kweiteh, Honan, Nov. 5th, 1918.
Dear Editor Willmar Tribune:
want to thank you for the regular.
ity with which your paper reaches me.
It is indeed a pleasure to get news
from home during these days, which
are so full of activities. Letters
travel slower than formerly owing to
censoring and other difficulties. These
other difficulties are mostly lover
here" During the summer months
missionaries go to mountain resorts
in order to escape the heat and this
necessitates forwarding of mail which
is not always very safe. Then too,
trains have lately been held up by
robber bands, something new for
China Added to this there have also
been floods during the summer months
causing washouts Of railways. Some
letters received from the States have
been about two and a half months on
the way, whereas in normal time 1t
takes from three weeks to month.
All this tend to make news from
home particularly welcome out here.
Not Isolated From World.
The above does not mean that we
are entirely isolated from the rest OF
the world. We get war news ana
other big news just as soon as most
folks in the States for our mission
field lies near a railroad and Is less
than two days from Shanghai, the great
seaport of China. 1t has even been
said that some news from Europe is
spread here before it reaches the
Western Hemisphere. This may have
been due to German agencies, which
were quite active here before China
entered the war. Prior to that time
China was regular free for all and
German propaganda was not wanting.
Even now it is not put out entirely,
owing to the poor state OF domestic
affairs. The government is demo-
cratic in name but autOcratic in real
ity. Military power dominates. The
North and South have an ancient
feud, dating back nearly as far as
history. This is largely due to the
fact that China has been invaded
mostly from the north, and the in
vaders have at times conquered and
set up dynasties. Such were the Tar
tars who incidentally are of the same
stock as the Huns and Turks. The Tar
tars who came into the early history of
China were called M0ngols. Later, In
modern times one might almost say,
came the Manchus who governed
China till the time of revolution a few
years ago. The uprisings have usually
come from the south and this revolu-
was no exception. The south revolted
after the death of Yuan Shih-Kai be-
cause there was no one strong enough
to hold together the disintegrating fac
tions. He had just failed in restoring
the monarchy before he died, and so
left state affairs In bad shape. The
South therefore represents the pro-
gressive party, it's leaders favoring
measures that are probably q bit too
radical for China. The North is the
conservative party, which some fear
would set up the Imperial Government
again. At present there are two law.
making bodies with capitals in Pek-
ing and Canton, each supposed to be
duly elected CD by the people. China
is today virtually "a house divided
against ITSELF due to the selfish mo-
tives of it's leaders. Loans have been
made by the Northern government for
which it has pawned vast areas of ma
tural resources with nothing to show
in return since the money has been
squandered by ambitious military
leaders. Now that the echoes OF
peace come from Europe, the would
be powers of China have begun to
fear intervention, and this may cause
some kind of settlement In the neal
| future, at least it is hoped that Is will
| China could hardly fare worse than II
| has for the last few years, no matter
what sort of government 1t set up.
Troops Worse than Robbers.
Another bane of China is the numer
Gus bands Of brigands, composed o.
returned soldiers who have been able
to retain their rifles These are 81
strong in some localities that they
defy the authorities. They will OTTER
capture officials and hold them fo1
ransoms, said ransom usually con
sisting of things necessary to better
arm them for their nefarious work
Sometimes the troops sent out by thu
government to punish these r0bber'
will not come into any open engage
ment with them. The troops merel!
pursue them at safe distance. Whe1
they have been chased (?) far enough
the troops return to headquarters loot
ing villages on the way so as to hav'
something to show as salvage from tn
robbers A few innocent people ar
taken along to make the report com
plete The loot is not returned to tn
rightful owners, for the rescuers hav
themselves looted It, so it is divided
among the troops and as for the car
tives, they are beheaded and thei
heads mounted on high poles, grue
some warning to other offenders
One locality particularly harassed b,
robbers had been sent aid in this wa
and after a short time many there az
pealed to the authorities to be lef
to the tender mercies of the robber
. rather than have the soldiers in thed
midst. The reason for this state Q
, affairs is poor government or lack q
government. Those that are highe
up feel no responsibility to the peopl
except in so far as they can be use
to personal advantage. How Chin
shall be rescued from this chaos
problem for diplomacy. There ar
so many factions, with more or les
power that it will not be an easy tas
to unite them all for the good Of tn
!: nation and to. crush them would avail
en- some hatred for the power that ID
it.
The location of our missionfiel
The Lutheran Free Church of Amer
'. ca, is in the northeast part Of tt
province Honan and is considered OF
of the most fruitful as well as mo
. | fonae1v n0n11afed districts of. Chin
, The land is perfectly flat and reminf
J.. one of Dakota and Montana. The pr
! ducts are winter wheat, barley, mile
, cotton, sweet potatoes, peanuts and
!. large number of vegetables some