RIVAL GENERALS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18517, 20 October 1925, Page 9

RIVAL GENERALS.

SITUATION IN CHINA. PROSPECTS OF CONFLICT. (Br CABLE—P2SSS ASUOCIATIOS —COPTiIGaT.) (REUTEfi's TELXGEiJtsO PEKING, October IS. Tho triangular military situation in China, is interesting. Marshal Vu Pei-fu's followers control Hupei and Chekiang, with which Marshal Chang Tso-lin has not interfered, because he feared that if he sent large forces south of tho YangTsc, General Feng Y'usiang would cut tbcm off. ¥u"s strongest supporter is General Pun Chuang Fang. It is now announced that there is a combination of five provinces against Chang Tso-lin, and it is reported that three other provinces are preparing to support Wii, including Honan, where Yu chun, formerly a follower of Feng, commands 180,000 men, mostly Wu Pei-fu's former picked troops. Hitherto Wu Fei-fu personally has not been identified with tho state of war between &un Chuan-fang and Chang Tso-lin and Feng Yu-hsiang and Chan Aso-lin, but has been lyirfg low ready to attack anyone at tho opportune moment. Chang Tso-lin and Feng Yu-hsiang command well-equipped armies of upwards. of 200,000 each. Wu Pei-fu's plan apparently is to extend and consolidate his central position during winter, and wait thc conflict befweeu Chang and Feng, which is inevitable. The immediate question is whether Chang or Feng will interfere. General Sun Fuan-chang forced Chang Tso-lin's weaker forces to retreat to Nan-king. Sun's forces followed, making prisoners of a few hundred. A mandato has been issued ordering General Sun to withdraw to Shanghai, as tho departure of Marshal Chang's troops had removed the grievances that had been complained of. Two Japanese destroyers are proceeding to Shanghai to protect Japanese residents, in view of the threatening situation.