The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-09
cRUMBLNG GUERRLLAs CONTINUE RESISTANCE

other waste materials are rationed, Tn sections of Shansi province, food shortages as Q result of Japanese requlsition are even worse, with the result that a slave traffic has grown up.
 The use of opium and heroin among the Chinese seems to be encouraged by the Japs everywhere, reports of this being especially fre- quent from Shanghai and Peiptng, Jap carpet-baggers also encourage gambling, from which they make large profits and which they may be using, as they do the opium traffic, as a means of breaking down Chi nese character and, thus, Chinese resistance.
 Wang Ching-Wei, the principal puppet of the Japs in the Shanghai Nanking area, recently issued an edict against drugs and gambling, But everyone knew 1t was not to be enforced, and the traffic went on as usual except that indignant students in Shanghai, pretending that Wang's words were seriously meant, wrecked a few opium dens and gambling houses.
 The Japanese have done their best to recruit puppet armies of Chinese to fight the Chinese Na- tional forces and apparently have encouraged these troops to loot and plunder in the hope of caus- ing as much confusion and dissen> ton among the Chinese as possible. These troops are poorly equipped, however, and distrusted by the Japs, for no Jap can be sure that any Chinese is not basically a pa- triot.
 LAPS RUIN COTTON TRADE
 The Japs have ruined the cotton workers of Shanghai by forcing them to sell cotton goods at seuch heavy losses that there have been suicides among the brokers. There was one report of a mass suicide of 30 brokers in hotel following a dinner at which they did their best to enjoy themselves before death, Recent reports tell of cotton goods still being held in warehouses be- cause of lack of shipping to take them to Japan.
 Chinese students in Peiping and some other cities are forced to study the Japanese language and to take part in Japanese victory" demonstrations which otherwise would be poorly attended. Accord ing to @ report, 2700 students in the four northeastern provinces of China were arrested in i942 on a charge of forming anti-Japanese So- cieties. Late last year, 1000 of the arrested students were executed.
 While tho Japs control most of the large cities In the costaol areas of China, and most of the railway lines, their influence Is not strong elsewhere. Hundreds of miles be- hind the Jap Sront lines are many counties in " iich the Chinese of- ficials appointed at Chungking function just as usual. Even in Jap anese-held territory the Japs are never safe from the activities of Chinese guerrillaS-this being es- pecially true near mountainous re. gionS where guerrillas can hide. The guerrillas specialize in killing puppet officials, in diSrupting Japanese transportation, and in laying land mines on roads used by Japanese and puppet troops.
 Of aN the recent reports from co. cupied territory, one of the oddest concerns hoarder in Shanghai. This man invested S50,000 In fire. crackers, which he carefully slowed away, explaining to his associates that firecrackers should be in great demand and exceedingly valuable as soon as the time came to celebrate victory.