WAR IN CHINA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 September 1924, Page 5

WAR IN CHINA

CHANG AND WU

EACH SEEKS TO BE DICTATOR

FORMER HAS A POWERFUL ARMY

rtY CABt'S—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHI PEKING, Sept. 16. The present war in Gheking and Kiangsu is not the result of provincial rivalries and ambitions, but' is the first stage of the inevitable conflict between Wu Pei Fu and Chang Tso Lin. Since his defeat in 1922 Chang Tso Lin has concentrated on the creation of a dominating army, and favoured by good seasons and prosperous business conditions he has collected an ’enormous revenue and established a modern arsenal. He has bought aeroplanes and Created an efficient force of 150,000 men, armed with modern engines of warfare and lacking only in - capable leaders, which Wu Pei Fu has in plenty. Chang’s preparations, however, were timed for completion in 1925, when he undoubtedly contemplated establishing himself dictator at Peking. Since defeating the Anfuites in 1920 Wu Pei Fu has bent all his activities bn unification by force. He has conquered Honan, Hunaft, Szechuan, and Fukien, and is now negotiating with Tang Chi Yao for the return of Yun-, nan to the Pekin fold, but in view of the threat of Chang’s spring expedition the Ghih-li leaders wanted to. remove the Chekiang / thorn in their side, and persuaded the Government riot to interfere, while they placed themselves in a position to meet Chang alone in 1925 or at/the present time, when he is hammered by floods ; in North China;. The decision in this connec-. tion rests /with Chang,, and it seems that ho has chosen to fight now. In the/-ideas of control, there is little to -choose between Chang arid Wu. Both rule by an mm hand, and each advocates a strong central Goverhment- controlling a national army able to - 'subdue recalcitrant provinces whose ,so-called autonomy has so far been marked by the seizure of the salt, Customs, wine. ’ and tobacco revenues pledged •to foreign countries as well as the revenues belonging to the Central = Government,; which has thus/ been impoverished find; flouted. The/elimination of either Wu Or Chang would give the survivor an opportunity to apply method s of rule to China which would - be understood by all Chinese. —Reuter. ' .