prize and Battleground

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 376, 9 June 1928, Page 23

prize and Battleground

MANCHURIA OF TO-DAY

A Vast Country Waking Up

IF ever war between nations comes in the Far East Manchuria will undoubtedly be both the battleground and the prize. I his big tract of country, which lies north of the Great W all of China, is already honeycombed with Japanese commercial interests and plentifully smeared with Russian influence. Geographically part of China and politically possessing a virtual independence under the dictatorship of (hang Tso-lin it is ripe for plucking. But America and Britain are not likely to agree to any barefaced annexation, and Russia would undoubtedly start a lot of trouble if betold enemy made any overt move in that direction. The following article from “My Magazine” sets forth the wonderful potentialities of this territory in which development has been so long neglected.

VOT many years ago Manchuria was very little known. It was difficult to reach. To the north and west it was bordered by Siberia; to the southeast was Korea, where no European dared set toot under pain of death; [0 the south was China, and while the journey Into Manchuria was best made from here it was difficult and often dangerous. This land, more than seven times as large as England, was known to have in its mountains large organised lands of robbers, whose chiefs governed entire districts as they pleased and who were apt to capture and hold for ransom any stray travellers.

Some brave Scottish missionaries made their way into the Manchurian capital, Mukden, and lived there. Others went to the very borders of Korea, learning the Korean language and waiting for the day when that forbidden land would be opened. Koreo was opened in due course. Then there came a great war between China and Japan, when the Japanese armies, after defeating the Chinese, made their way through Korea into Manchuria. The Russian Government, which had been building a railway across Siberia, resolved to continue its line through Manchuria to the open sea at Port Arthur. This railway was started in 1897 and completed a few years later. To-day it is as easy to iravel through Manchuria along the railway as through many parts of Europe. The country still remains one of the most wonderful and interesting in Asia. After the war between Russia and Japan, in 1905, the Japanese took over large parts for themselves, and on the borders of many of the old Chinese cities big modern Japanese towns have grown up with great rapidity. OLD WALLED CAPITAL If the visitor to Manchuria to-day slarts with the old walled capital he

will find within the still carefully guard*! gates a fascinating Chinese city, with narrow streets and busy life. There are wonderful signs illuminated in gay colours outside the doors of the shops, telling of what you can buy within, and lacquered ornaments of gold and brilliant red in front of many houses. Jinrickshas, little two-wheeled carriages drawn by coolies, hurry along the streets, each with its passenger; here and there will be seen a closelyscreened sedan chair, carried by four coolies, with a Chinese lady of the "Id school being taken from one house to another. It will be noticed that many of the women are not hobbling along as in China, where feet-binding still goes on. The Manchurian women do not bind their feet and can walk freely. Here and there among the men, in flowing and sometimes very beautiful Chinese robes, one sees busy young Chinese and Japanese dressed like clerks and business men in London. Now the crowd sweeps to one side as a regiment of soldiers marches by, the soldiers of Chang Tso-lin, the Governor-General of Man-ebu-ia. These soldiers are dressed in half European, half Chinese, unitom, but their equipment is wholly European and their rifles are of the finest type. In their barracks are airplanes, machine-guns, and all the latest equipment of war. Chang Tsolin has English and other European officers and engineers to show him hove to cast his big guns and to show bis men how to fly and to fight in the European way. BANDIT CHIEFS RISE Chang Tso-lin is a remarkable man. He was, nearly thirty years ago, a bandit chief. He had a great army of horsemen under him, and when the Husso-Japanese War broke out he forked with the Japanese, raiding ’bo back lines of the Russian Army and cutting off its communications. He *a* so strong and had so many followers that the Government found it hard *° fight him. and he was invited to join the Government’s side. He was made chief of the police in Hukdeu and given the rank of an officer in the Chinese Army. He rose rapidly from post to post until, in a f ew years, he became Governor-General °f the Province, the absolute ruler of •his great country, with a mighty army under him. He has made wars against the rulers of other Chinese Provinces, sometimes winning, someT mes losing. He is the chief ruler, Pot only in Manchuria, but in Peking, and people say that he wants to be fisclared Emperor of China. He Is small in build, very active, ' er jr alert in mind, very modern in y.me ways and old-fashioned in others. ‘ ben he sought to be elected President the Chinese Republic he had a r'Bematograph film made telling all about himself, his home life, what he ad done for Manchuria, and what i>oped to do for China. This picture

was shown in all the picture-houses in Manchuria. There are numerous picture-houses there and in many parts of China as well. After having seen the palace of Chang Tso-lin let us turn away to a very different spectacle, the great hospital erected by the Scottish missionaries, a hospital famous in many lands. When the Scottish doctors first came to Mukden the people thought they had come to bewitch them, and they were often in danger of death, but they kept on. These Scotsmen had to be brave pioneers, able to ride well and endure great hardships, and ready to risk their lives. They would go unarmed among the worst robber bands and endeavour to help them. When the Boxer Rebellion came in 1900 and the Chinese people rose up against all foreigners the Mukden hospital was destroyed. Many of the converts who refused to side with the Boxers were seized and killed. One old Bible woman was brutally tied up and carried on a cart to the centre of the city, where her head was to be cut off. She would not let herself appear frightened, but began quietly to pray. Then she started singing a hymn, smiling at the Boxers who stood with swords over her. When they reached the execution ground the old woman still kept on singing and smiling. Then the Boxers grew frightened. “She must have a great spirit protecting her,” said the executioner, the sword shaking in his hand. “1 am afraid.” At that moment a rich Chinese, who was really a friend of the missionaries, although he did not dare say so, stepped up. “You are very foolish to kill this woman,” he said. “I will give you gold for her.” The Boxers, glad to get rid of her, sold her. The Chinese put her in his cart and took her outside the city. Then he cut her bonds. “You may go where you will

now,” he informed her. “Some day, when I am in trouble, and you are by, help me.” When the Boxer rising was over the people realised how foolish they had been and were the first to subscribe money to help to rebuild the hospital and to start the work again. To-day numbers of young picked Chinese are studying there, learning to be doctors. MODERN JAPANESE CITY Outside the old walled Mukden is the modern Japanese city, with broad streets, fine houses, a wonderful hotel, and Western shops. Very different from Mukden is the new city of Harbin, in the very centre of Manchuria, built by the Russians about 25 years ago as their railway centre. Trains run from here to Vladivostock in Siberia to the east, to Mukden and Peking to the south, and into the heart of Siberia to the west. Harbin originally consisted of a few houses on the river side. The Russians spent enormous sums of money making a place as marvellous as any of the new centres of America. For a time life was very unsafe here, especially after the Russo-Japanese War. Many escaped convicts and criminals from different parts came around the city, robbing and killing anyone they could. ■When the writer was first in Harbin in 1906 he was told that when going through the street after dark he must always walk in the middle of the roadway and not near the houses, and must always keep his revolver ready in his pocket. If any unknown man came up to him he was to shoot him at once, because it was certain that any man who came up in this way was himself a criminal who would attempt to kill him. Harbin is divided into three parts, first, the official city, with splendid offices and administrative buildings, the homes of the foreign consuls, and fine houses. Then, across the bridge, one comes to the modern business city, which might be part of a European capital, so fine are its shops, banks, and houses. A little way off is the very busy Chinese town, with the familiar ' narrow streets, Chinese houses, stores full of goods, and crowds of people everywhere. The Russians governed this city tor many years until the end of the Great War’ but now the Chinese rule it. The new’ Harbin, however, is European, not Asiatic, and the people in its streets are mainly white folk. Here are large numbers of refugees from Russia who have fled from the Bolsheviks. Many of these are very poor having lost all their possessions in Russia. High Russian officers of old days are to be found looking for the humblest employment. FERTILE SOIL Manchuria is a land of rich soil, where some of the finest crops of the world are grown. The extensive wheat lands round Harbin yield gram as fine as the best fields of Western Canada. Kowliang, a kind of maize.

grows in the summer to a height of 12 or 14 feet, and a whole regiment of men can hide themselves in a kowliang field, .as in a jungle. The Manchurians themselves live mainly on millet, for in this part rice is a luxury which cau only be afforded by the well-to-do. Millet is a grain we usually give to birds or animals. The most wonderful crop in Manchuria is the soya bean, which has brought great weallh and prosperity to the land. Only in recent years have men found how many things it can be used for. Formerly it was grown mainly for its oil, for making food for cattle, and as the foundation of many of the hot sauces which are manufactured in England and in other countries. In recent years it has been found that the soya bean can be used for all sorts of purposes and that it has a very great food value for human beings. The strangest use to which it has been put is probably the making of artificial milk. A Japanese scientist discovered how to do this and how to prepare this artificial milk at less cost than cow’s milk. For some time there was a big shop in London wholly devoted to trying to make a market in England for soya milk. RICH IN MINERALS Manchuria is also enormously rich in minerals. One of the greatest iron mines in the world is there, and is now being worked by the Japanese, who took possession of it after the Russian war. There are large coalfields and stores of precious metals. Some of these arc difficult to investigate or to work because in the mountainous country to the north-west robber bands still make travel dangerous. But there are yet rich resources for the future of mankind. The Manchu people are one of the three great groups of the Mongolian race, the others being the Chinese and the Mongols. Long ago the Manchus conquered the Chinese and the Manchu princes became Emperors of China, remaining so until the Chinese Empire was abolished and the Republic declared. The Manchu people are tall, strong, and finely built. Their women are more independent than the Chinese. There are people who say that the Chinese are cleverer and more industrious, but very few of us who have seen how hard the Manchu people work on their farms and in the towns would believe this to be so. Outside the -ilway regions life still goes on much in the same old way. Travel over the mountainous parts of the country is difficult. There are mighty ranges to be crossed. Terriffic mountain passes protect the Korean border. People travel mostly in Chinese carts, very strongly made, springless wooden vehicles with covered tops, which are drawn by horses or by sure-footed Chinese ponies. The blue and white coated Chinese coolies who drive them make great noises, calling to their animals Hai, yai! and many familiar cries, but the carts move very slowly in spite of all their drivers’ efforts. STATE OF FERMENTATION One great contrast between this land and Korea is that, while in Korea till recently no temples were allowed, there are many temples throughout Manchuria, with large numbers of monks in them. You will find them snuggling away on mountain heights and in rich quarters outside the city. The beautiful roofs and artistic designs of these buildings lend an air of picturesqueness to the country. Manchuria to-day, like ail other parts of the old Chinese Empire, is in a state of fermentation and change. The old ideals, the old beliefs, and the old organisations of life have gone. When the Chinese cut off his pigtail if was a sign that ho was stepping out of his old life and beliefs. The Chinese girls of the better classes are to-day given Western learning. The daughter of the official, whose mother, thirty years ago, was never allowed outside her home unaccompanied, now rides her bicycle to school. New ideas from the West have come like a flood among the people. For the time there is much trouble; there may be much more trouble for years to come. But it Is only by fermentation and change and growth that the world improves. Manchuria, like the rest of the old Chinese Empire, is moving toward a bigger and greater life.