The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-04
Interpreting
The News
BY JAMES D. WHITE
Associated Press Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 3-R)-|
A special dispatch from Chung
king says that the predicted hard
winter. has set in. .- ..
Although the war is over, living
conditions for most of Chungkins's
estimated 100000 people are as
bad today as they were during
the worst years of the war.
Coal is scarce and costly, and
most of the homes and offices in
the. teeming hill city are unheat-
ed. At this time of year fog and
clouds blanket the town, which
already was crowded with 100000
people when it suddenly became
China's wartime capital in 1898.
You see the same things you
saw during the war. Government
employees huddle in their overcoats
in damp, cold offices, rubbing
their hands together or sticking
them up their long sleeves for
warmth. They sit and jiggle their
knees and dream of Marking, OF
Shanghai, or Peiping, and what
those cities will be like next spring
when they hope to get there.
In Jerry-built homes those who
can afford an occasional bundle
of charcoal gather around brazil
ers, fearful lest they be over
powered by the fumes, but risking
this for little warmth.
The coal shortage is such that
when electric lights work they
are dim, and water pressure is
SO low tn at it seldom reaches con-
sumers in many parts of the city,
where it is bought on the street at
the equivalent of 40 American
cents per bucketful.
Many buildings, especially those
on the higher hills, have had none
for weeks, and it's not uncommon
for both Chinese and foreigners
to visit their more fortunate
friends for the express purpose
of taking bath.
| Rain drips down on the ding
queues Of peoples, who may wait
an hour in the drizZle for one of
the ramshackle buses. Getting
aboard these jam-packed vehicles
| is "a separate problem in itself.
The slightest shower turns the
unpaved streets into slush that
can ruin, pair of scarce, expen-
sive shoes in single trip to the
market. 81. $500. e.ef 4
Streets are full of potholes
and corrugations which shake the
daylights out of even the hardy
jeep,. and ride. to or from the
airport is a nightmare dread by
all. -s
Food is plentiful, as ever, but
even more expensive than during
the war. Since coastal areas have
been liberated. some almost-for-
gotten dedicacies have reappeared.
But except for an occasional char
coal braMer few restaurants have
any heat and you keep your over
coat on while you eat. ....
The wartime ban on dancing has
been lifted, and dance halls put up
to. cope with an expected influx OF
american headquarters personnel
are crowded nightly with eager
Chinese couples who have the con-
siderable cash necessary to do
more than just look inside one.
These nightspots are far cry
from the glittering dance-palaces
of Shanghai, but those who have
wanted to. dance during the war
and couldn't are not deferred by
sour orchestras and the absence OF
anything good to drink.
An exodus Of people back to the
coast continues, but it's limited
by the few river steamers and bus
lines which can take them. Some
people hearing of even worse coal
and housing shortages in Shanghai,
are staying on for the winter.
There's still no definite word
when the capital will be moved
back to Marking, but general opin-
ion is that is won't happen until
spring. ,:....
Meanwhile, Chungking shivers in
the drizzle and waits.
Soda pop and other carbonated
| 4Loir ctorL noe0I-