WAR IN CHINA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 254, 21 July 1920, Page 7

WAR IN CHINA

PERFECT ORDER PREVAILING IN PEKING

j CHIH-1I FORCES REINFORCED (By Telograph-Preas Association-Copyright Peking, July 19. General Chang-woi-ti's troops have left Tungchow for Peking', and are understood to be coming as neutrals to preserve the peace. Refugees are still arriving, and all are seeking food. Perfect order prevails in the city, though the excitement is undiminished. Fighting continues on the western front.Tientsin advices state that the Manchurian commander with 100,000 men, wlm has hitherto adopted a policy of armed neutrality, awl has been regarded as a deciding factor in the situation is now heavily reinforcing tho Chih-li forces. Troop trains from Mukden are hourly passing through Tientsin to the front.

In addition to the British squadron under Admiral Duff, two Japanese torpedo boats .have arrived at Tientsin, and railway communication with Peking has been reopened— Reuter.

"IN THE MELTING POT"

SITUATION IN CHINA EXPLAINED.

, The following account of the situation in Peking was given by Mr. William imson Lee, of Sydney, a recognised leading authority on Chinese matters, who was interviewed as to the significance of the cablegrams concerning China, states the Sydney "Sun":— "Both the Anfu Club and the Chih-li Party are military cliques," explained Mr. Leo, "and they have been fighting for supremacy Tor some months past It_ was this Marshal Tunn-clii-jui, Premier of China, in 15)17, who summarily dissolved Parliament the same year, and established himself as a dictator. The Republicans strongly resented this second breach of the Constitution, which caused a split in China, the north being mora or less Royalist, and tho south solidly Republican. Thus, there was friction between the militarist and the democratic parties, or, in other words, between cliques like the Anfu Club and tho followers of Dr. Sun- Tat Sen. Tho former are mainly composed of militarist generals who have probably at times been predatory bandits, whilst the latter are mostly of western education, and possessed of a good grasp of world affairs.

"The militarist headquarters nra at Peking, and Peking is endeavouring tj dominate the country, and to establisn strong military posts right tiuov.ght China. A little while ago there was no civil law in the Republic, the whole country being governed by military generals, who enforced their will relentlessly on the people.. This caused the greatest hardships, especially at the hands of undisciplined soldiery. Trade and commerce have ever since been dislocated, and the transportation of produce obstructed; fn fact, industrial development has pcen impossible. "At the present time the national revenues are being diverted and dissipated by the militarists, and, as n consequent of the deplorable state of affairs, brigands aro ruining rough-shot over the country. But since each of the military generals lias boen working for himself alone, each has become jealous of the other, and dissension is rife in Peking circles.

| "Up till a few weeks ago General Chin-yung-peng wns Premier of China, and lie belongs to the Chih-li diquo. Marshal Tuan-chi-jui, . the leader of the Anfu Club, sought to displace him, and, in fact, the' whole of the Anfu party was eager fc>r supreme power in the Cabinet. ; Chin-yung-peng was loath to' face' enemies within at a time when China wns up against so many external international problems, and thought it bfst to resign from his post. Even now it is by iio means certain who is going to succeed him, The outlook in China was never so black as it was a .few w«eia ago. ... ... "Both of these military cliques are, of course, royalist or monarchical, whilst tho South of China is sullenly Republican, under the instigation of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, who worked for over half a century to overthrow the Mauclra Dynasty, and succeeded in establishing a Republic in 1911. He has control of the provinces in the south and west, and these are the provinces which desire constitutional government. "In view of North China being under the heel of the militarists, an independent Government was set up at Omiton, with an elected Parliament. The North sent troops to quell tho Republican movement, but the latter were prepared for such a 6tep, and fighting has uecn in progress from time to time during the' last two years. An armistice .was arranged some months ago, mid a Peace Conference held at Shanghai, but with no result. Unfortunately, two of the Republican generals were influenced by Peking, and tried to fix a peace by which they would become President and Premier respectively. They effected a coup d'etat, anil established themselvos in the two Canton provinces. Owitfg to thoir intrigues, Dr. Sun Yat Sen transferred Parliament, with a large number of supporters, to Yunnali, where a new Government was established.

• Dr. Sun Yat Sen's parly, the Kuomintang (Nationalists), have fought, and will continue to fight, any party whoso mflinbera are traitors lo the constitution drawn up nt the inauguration cf the Kenublic in 1911. China appears to bo in the melting pot at the present time, but the day is coming when constitutional government will win the day. The right through China, are against the militarists, and they recently called a universal strike to compel the j'eking party to cease negotiations with Japan for the retrocession of Shnngtung, and to let tho League of Nations settle the question. They won. "Hundreds of thousands of young men have risen in arms against the military rule, and the students' patriotism has created 6uch an impression amongst tho people that tho militarists thought it would be indiscreet to punish thean. China is imbibing the principles of democracy through the propaganda of Dr. Sun Yat Scai," concluded Mr. Lee, "and the time is not far distant whon the militarist yoke will be overthrown once and for all."