Evening star., 1927-10-30
BY DREW PEARSON.
The Chinese farmer is in rebellio

Inc chinese farmer is in rebellion.
Armed only with clubs and the Red
Spears" for which his rebel bands
are named. China's sons of the soil.
Silent for centuries. are organizing
against the military, who have been
devastating their fields, ransacking
their villages and driving off their live
stock.
This farmer rebellion is without
doubt the most hopeful movement in
the whole Of War-torn China.
Contrary to the popular impression,
the Red Spears" are not subsidized
by Soviet Russia nor are they neces-
sarily sympathetic with bolshevist doc
trlnes. A recent State Department
report explains that red is chosen
simply because the Chinese like it..
and has no connection whatever with
the Russian red flag.
Movement Is Reaction.
The movement" the report con-
tinues, lis in general a healthy reac-
ton against the wrongs suffered by
the rural population at the hands of
bandits and soldiers. In a very few
instances 1t is anti Christian: In some
cases 1t is antiBritish or antiJapan-
ese. but in most cases it is anti-mili-
tai J and anti-bandit."
The RED Spears" were first organ
lied by the Koumintang, or National
ist party. originally as the farmers
wing of the organization. But when
government after government set up
by the Nationalists was split by party
factions, and when civil war after
civil war continued to send it's troops
through their ripe fields of wheat and
corn, the RED Spears" split com.
plataIv from tha
At first they were armed with the
most crude and old-fashioned weapons.
but by clandestine purchases and by
capture many of them now are armed
with modern rifles and ammunition.
Villages Often Unite.
The Red Spear" organization is a
very simple one. Every male resi-
dent of the village, from IA years up.
is a member, while village elder acts
as head. Each village unit is autono-
nous, acting chiefly for the protection
of it's own village, but with a loose
afiiliation with other RED Spear"
uni" in the vicinity, frequently unit
ing with them on major expeditions.
Not long ago, for instance, when the
Shantung formers in the region
around Tsinan considered themselves
too heavily taxed by the military war
| lord. Chang Tsung Chang, they voiced
their protest ty marching upon the
Railway Hotel at Corfu and burning 1t
The distinctive insignia of the Red
Spears" consist of red cloth or red
! paper hats. The more affluent mem
bers also wear sashes. More impor-
| tant, however, is q diamond-shaped
| breastplate made Of red cloth and tied
at the back, which Is supposed to pro-
rlxs
NOR Is reinfor, ed by two red spools.
worn in front o.. each side Of the chest,
| with red ,nscri .tions on them, which
make the Wea! e quite immune from
| danger. AS a special charm, making
| them impervious to bullets, slips of
paper on which are written certain
| incantations. are swallowed.
Missionaries Captured.
Illustrative of the activities end mo.
| tives of these rebellious farmers, Is
the story of the capture of party of
American missionaries in Shantung
| The party, composed of members of
the faculty of Shantung Christian
University, was on an Easter holiday
at Shing Ling Shan. mountain seven
miles south of Tsinan. They were
walking along the road near a village
when suddenly they heard bugle and
about one hundred men and boys
poured out of the village and sur
rounded them. They carried ancient
spears brightly polished and old
swords. Four Of them had two rro.
digious rifles, each carried on the
shoulders Of two men.
The leader proceeded to cross-ques-
tion the captives, and it developed that
they had been taken for White Rus
sian spies. Finally the missionaries