The Coolidge examiner., 1934-12-07

foreign affairs. Siam, In 1925, Sc
cured the abrogation OF outgrown
extraterritorial treaties and won
her complete sovereignty.
Originating In the mission schools,
the physical-tralning Idea has spread
rapidly throughout the land. The
late king himself was Scout Chief
for the Wild Tiger corps. Although
that organization has since ceased
TO function. It's spirit is carried on
in Boy Scout organization known
as the Wild Tiger Cubs.
Education has become compulsory.
More than SO per cent OF local
schools and so per cent of govern
ment schools are situated In mOnas-
teries or are modern outgrowths OF
the old temple schools In Bang
kok. too, is a well-functioning uni
versity and medical school.
In the east of Siam, bordering on
French Indo-Chlna, Is a wide noun
tain-encIrcled plateau. 300 feet to
500 feet above sea level and tilted
slightly to the east. so that 1t drains
into the mighty Mekong.
During the six-months' dry season
this territory Is very arid, and dur
Ing the rains 1t Is often heavily
flooded; consequently It is the poor
est section of Siam.
Until recently. when the railway
was extended beyond Mayor Raja-
sima (Korat) TO Ubol Rajadhani,
the people were severely handi.
capped In getting their produce out
To market centers. Considerable
wealth. however. lies In the red
wood and other forests located In
the mountains. These and other re-
sources will be developed because
railroads and highways are being
extended into the region.
Chandaburi province. bordering
the Gulf OF Siam, finds prosperity
I'm Its forested hills. In pepper. cof-
fee. and In ruby, sapphire, and zir-
con mines.
Minerals and Rice.
South Siam embodies about one
half Of the elongated Malay penin-
sula, with It's population gradually
shading into almost pure Malay.
Like lower Malaga, 1t is rich In
minerals. especially tin, and also
produces considerable quantities Of
rubber. In normal times an aver
age Of nine million dollars worth
of tin annually goes into foreign
marts from these mines.
Eastward. westward, and north
ward from Bangkok stretches the
vast alluvial plain of central Siam,
level as a table top-the rice gran
airy OF the country. 1t is the heart
Of the kingdom and the source Of
nIne-tenths of its wealth. An
area of roughly 10000 square miles
is enclosed between the high noun
tain backbone that extends along
the Burma border and the battle
ments that face the Korat plateau.
What the Nile is to Egypt the Me
Nam Chao Bhraya is to this fer
tile valley. Every year during the
summer rainy season the river over
flows it's banks and stretches out
through its network of canals and
dlstributaries. deposting rich silt
and providing the required water
for the rice lands.
Chlengmai, second city OF Siam,
was founded in the Eleventh cen
fury, and subsequently gained as
cendancy over neighboring princi-
palities. Because of its importance,
IL long sat on the fence between
Burma and Siam and was pulled
first one way and then the other,
according to which rival sought by
force of arms to claim its al
legiance.
Chiengmai is attractively located
on the Ne Ping, one Of the chief
tributaries Of the Me Nam Cha0
Bhraya. Beyond it stretches rice
plain backed by the imposing $500
foot mountain of Dol Sutep.
The staffs Of several teak COM
panies and of the missionary schools
and hospitals comprise the princi-
pal foreign population In Chieng-
mai. One of the outstanding mis-
sionary enterprises in the city is
the asylum for lepers. Many OF
these unfortunates are made COM
Portable in the excellent cottages
provided for them. They are treat
ed with the esters Of chaulmoOgra
oil, and in many cases the disease
is arrested, If not completely cured.
So effective has been this work that
the government now grants an an
nual subsidy toward its upkeep.
In the Businesses of the northern
forests axes ring, trees crash, logs
thunder down mountain skidways,
mahouts shSu,, and elephants
trumpet-the voices Of a teaking
camp.
Each year approximately 1OO,OOO
teak logs go down the river to
Bangkok, 23,O00 are routed by the
Salween river to Burma, and an
other 5000 ride the turbulent wa.
ters of the Mekong to Indo-China.