Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-21

means they can crafty their personal
ambitions.
The people themselves seem to be
but little concerned with what is hap
pening. Since the revolution of 1911
China has been known as a republic.
1t is such only in name. The Parlia-
ment elected nearly Is years ago Is
still supposed TO exist, but / venture
TO say that the most intelligent Chi
nese merchant in Shanghai could
hardly tell you the name of his rep
resentative. Neither could he name
any members OF the Chinese cabinet
at the present moment. II you should
show surprise at his ignorance he
would say, why should I know? It
Is none of my business"
/ have heard foreigners here Sc
yerely criticize the Chinese business
men for not taking greater interest
| in the government OF their country
and endeavoring to improve condi-
tions. The trouble is that these men,
as - class, are not interested in poll
| tics and have come to look upon ali
officials as robbers and grafters. In
the days of the empire they were ac-
customed to having their wealth TAX
en- from them by the Manchu rulers,
| and they seem to care little who is
| in power provided they are let alone
enough to carry on trade. 1t Is one
of the traditions of China that the
| best citizen is he who has the least
to do with the government, which
they consider at best n necessary
| evil.
/ heard d story the other day Of
a foreigner who engaged a Chinese
farmer In conversation about a
change of government at Picking.
what does 1T NATTER" said the far
mer. who was taking a calf to mar
ket. Whatever happens. it Will not
raise the price of calves"
In the meantime, all sorts of out
RACES are perpetrated on foreigners,
including both men and women, many
of whom have been robbed and kid
mapped. Business Is becoming more
and more difficult and hazardous in
the disordered districts, goods are
prevented from reaching the mar
kets. and foreign capital is afraid to
come in.
In the last few years kidnapping
foreigners has become a matter Of
rather frequent occurrence. The ban
dts know that the Picking govern
ment is more afraid OF international
complications than anything else, and
that ii will always find the money
to ransom any foreigners they may
capture. This situation explains the
holding up of the "Blue Express" on
4ady " VI ldS& Gal Iou W III TCHlc1
Der that all the passengers on this
train were forced out OF their cars
in their night clothing and dragged
off up into the hills. Many prominent
Americans were among the number
held captive until sums totaling
about one hundred thousand dollars
were paid to the leaders. The ban
dts, it turned out, were former SOL
diers who had not received any pay
for months.
Oftentimes the bandits also demand
of the authorities that they be taken
into the army. This is SO frequently
done that a bandit leader today may
be a commanding general tomorrow,
and vice versa.
Out I'm the provinces the civil and
military authorities often wink at the
bandit operations. IL Picking pro-
tests over some raid, robbery Or kid
| naping. the authorities send back
word that they are sorry but that
they have no means OF keeping such
bad men in order.
MEMBERS Of bandit gangs do not
AVE spend all their time In the wiids.
Many Of them live In the villages with
the other people. who usually know
that they are bandits. The other
day I had a talk with officials of the
Asia Development Company, an
American concern which has been at
work on big Improvement schemes
for the control of the Yellow River