Evening star., 1938-06-23
THE EVENING WASHINGTON
YOUTHS TRAINED
TO RESIST JAPAN.
Graduates of Yenan School
Sent Out to Organize
Guerrilla Bands.
(Third Of . Series.)
BY A. r. STEELE,

BY A. r. STEELE,
Correspondent Of the Chicago Daily News.
YENAN, Shensi, China. - The
stream of pilgrims on the road to
Mecca has its pagan counterpart here
In Northwest China. Students by the
thousands walk the long, hard trail
to this little walled town to worship
and study at the shrine OF Marxism
and Leninism in China.
Passing over the 230-mile road from
Sian by truck, encountered hundreds
Of students on their way, singly and
in groups, to Yenan, with the inten-
ton Of entering the schools and uni
versities conducted by the red-tinged
border district government" here.
They were happy, carefree lot, most
ly carrying packsacks and wearing
broad straw hats to shield them from
the sun.
With the collapse of Peking as
China's educational center, Yenan has
come to rank as one of the countrys
most important seats OF higher learn
ing on the basis Of its large student
population. At least a third Of Ye-
mans $4,000 inhabitants are students.
One sees them everywhere, strolling
through the streets in groups, dining
In the restaurants, acting in the COM
munity theater, drilling on the parade
grounds or taking copious notes at
open-air lectures on the hillsides. One
may see them. too, in early evening
along the mountain stream which
ripples past the city wall-doing their
days washing.
Shrine Of Communism.
This remote country village-now
the center Of red influence in China
is notable for the number Of insti-
tutions OF learning it can boast, and
for the courses they teach. In all
OF China there are none like them.
With the Chinese reds subordinating
their entire political and social pro-
gram to the single objective Of anti
Japanese resistance, the schools and
universities in Yenan are devoting
themselves almost solely to this end.
Their main purpose during the period
OF national crisis is avowedly to pre-
pare young men and women to mo-
billie and train the Chinese masses
for resistance.
Chief among the schools is the
Anti-Japanese University. which, with
an enrolment of $500, is the largest
OF all. Its president is Gen. Ling
Piao, renowned among the reds for
his warfare against the Japanese.
Gen. Ling was seriously wounded in
recent battle. in which he fought
side by side with his men, and is
still bedridden.
Graduates Of the Anti-Japanese Uni
versity are sent out after a three
month course to organize and train
guerrilla fighters among country VIII
layers. Some of the students special
ize in political training. but the main
emphasis is on the military side. The
list OF courses taught is Informative.
1t includes, besides military instruc-
ton. political economy, philosophy,
social science, the mass movement.
the united front and its Significance.
and guerrilla warfare.
Glasses Are Held In Caves.
Although the university maintains
It's headquarters in q large building
in the heart Of the walled town, most
OF its class rooms and dormitories are
situated in caves high up on the
mountainside. OF the students about
one-fourth are girls.
At the Northern Shensi Academy.
which Is also housed mainly in caves.
political training is stressed. Men
and women are taught to go out among
the people and whip up nationalistic
enthusiasm. The enrolment is less
than 1000, but there are MANY times
that number on the waiting list.
visited, also the Lo Shun Art
Academy, housed entirely in caves.
where so students of both sexes are
taxing three-month course in dra-
matlcs, music and painting. all with
the one aim in view of being used in
antl-Japanese education. A group of
Ine students were singing anti-Jap-
anese songs, others were painting anti
japanese posters. After q three-month
course they will go to work among the
people. later returning for a finishing
| course.
There Is . normal college here. too.
which bears the impressive name OF
The Marxist and feminist Uniyer-
slty. Another school Of small en-
rollment is for Communist party
| members only.
Student Is Paid to Study.
To enter the lafger school it is
necessary neither to be a member of
the Communist party nor to have
financial reserves. If the student has
money he is charged a small fee. If
ne has none he is given his schooling
gratis and draws a salary of 80 cents
a month. There are courses in Marx
ism at the universities, but they are
not compulsory. The qualifications
for entry into the universities Is a let-
ter Of recommendation from a member
OF some anti-Japanese organization.
Students are also required to pass en-
trance examinations.
| (Copyright, 1888, by Chicago Daily News.)