CHINA’S STRONG MAN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 13 August 1928, Page 6

CHINA’S STRONG MAN.

The fact that funeral ceremonies have been held since the reported death of GUnmig Tso-Liin: ought to mean. that he has died for the Mist time. In. the last, few years no 'one, with the possible exception iof Trotsky, has been more persistently killed off by the news agencies than Chang, who, if he had been able to read, must have been painfully familiar with his own obituary. But with his death China loses her "strong man,” though those Chinese who are trying to' lead their country along the paths of Western 'civilisation, will hope, that lie finds no successor in this role. The details of hiis career are as obscure as the circumstances of his death. The common belief is that he began as a bandit chief and became so powerful that the Peking Government, unable to crush him, did .the next best thing in China and gave him a. high command in the army; but it is proper to. mention that this 'does not square, with Chang’s own account of himself. In an interview with a. representative of the ‘ ‘ Manchester Guardian ’ ’ som e time ago he said it bat he was born in Southern Manchuria and began to. study medicine, forsaking this for service with the Chinese army in the Sino-.Taparno.se War. Chang’s authentic history begins with hie appointment in 1911 as military governor of Fengtien, it being commonly asserted that he owed his elevation to the influence of Japan, exerted in return for assistance in the Russo-Japanese Wax. In 1916 he became governor of the three 1 Mamchuri an provinces, and with the decay of the central Government he became practically am independent ruler. The Peking Government frequently importuned him to enter the larger field of Chinese politics on their behalf, but ono or two unsuccessful attempts coni' Lncod Chang of the hopelessness of accomplishing anything permanent in this direction, and fox several years he con- | tented himself with consolidating his position in Manchuria'. This yean' the Nationalist advance brought him at the head of am army to Peking, but on the defeat of his allies he went back over the border without fighting. Under his admin istrat ion the Manchurian provinces became the .most prospenjous and the best governed in China, but those whom ike ruled hated him. as a tyrant and a usurper.