CHINESE REPUBLIC

Southland Times, Issue 21578, 16 December 1931, Page 5

CHINESE REPUBLIC

PRESIDENT RESIGNS PRESSURE FROM STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS FOREIGN POLICY OPPOSED (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.45 p.m.) Shanghai, December 15. The expected resignation of President Chiang Kai-shek as a result of pressure from student organizations -was confirmed this morning at Nanking where an emergency meeting of the Government Party leaders is being held to consider the situation. The students’ opposition to the Government’s foreign policy caused many demonstrations throughout the country. Chiang’s successor is uncertain, but his resignation opens the way for tho Southern leaders, Wang Ching-wei, Wunfu and Huhenmin. CHIANG’S CAREER FOLLOWER OF SUN YAT-SEN. CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY. Chiang Kai-shek, the Cantonese general, was born in ISSB in a village between Ningpo and Hangchow in the province of Chekiang. His father died soon after his birth and the boy was sent to rich relatives, traders at Ningpo, who brought him up. Later he entered . a military school from which in 1908 he passed to the officers’ academy at Paotingfu. To complete his training for the army he was sent to Japan where he first met the revolutionist Sun Yat-sen to whom he remained faithful ever after. Returning to China after the October revolution of 1911, he was appointee! a brigadier-general at the early age of 23 by tho revolutionary Government in the South. After Yuan Shi-kai had beaten the Southern troops, however, Chiang was not heard of for some time. Until 1923 his life was that of an ordinary officer. Then Sun Yat-sen appointed him head of the military school at Whampoa near Canton. In that capacity’ he became one of Sun’s chief supporters and it was he who trained the younger officers of the present day Cantonese Army. He also visited Moscow where he continued his army training. After the death of Sun Yat-sen in March, 1925, Cliiang came more and more to the front as a leader of the Cantonese. Together with the Russians Borodin and Galen he organized the army which in the winter of 1926-7 marched against the Northerners, defeated Sun Chuan-fang, Governor of Shanghai, at Nanchang and then occupied Hankow, Nanking and Shanghai. In March, 1927, dissensions arose between Chiang, who disliked the influence of the Bolsheviks, and the Communists in his party. The latter, backed by Borodin, the Soviet agent, tried to deprive him of his supreme control, denouncing him as a would-be dictator. They gained—for a time at least —the upper hand and placed their organization on a Soviet basis, Chiang being relegated to the command of the troops without any political power. But he was supported by other generals and set up in Nanking a moderate Nationalist Government of his own. He then continued the campaign against the North, invading Shantung in July, 1927. There, however, in consequence of the hostile attitude of the Japanese he received a check and in August had to retreat. The Northerners drove back the Nanking troops and began to invest Shanghai. Chiang was then urgently recalled by the Nanking Government, but he had betaken himself to Japan. In November, 1927, he reappeared in China, declaring that he did so in response to numerous requests. In December he married a sister of the wife of Sun Yatsen. In January’, 1928, he resumed the chief command of the Southern forces and began a new campaign against the Mukden armyunder Chang Tso-lin. With the aid of Feng’s troops he pushed rapidly northwards almost to the gates of Pekin where Chang Tso-lin was heavily defeated and fled to Manchuria. On the way his train was bombed and he died of his injuries on June 4, 1928. The troops of Chiang and Feng continued their march on Pekin, occupying it on June 11. Chiang became head of the Government and chairman of the Directory which had been set up at Nanking. He was virtually dictator of the Chinese Republic. At the launch of a cruiser he urged that a fleet of 600,900 tons should be built within ten years. When Chang Hsueh-liang, the son of Chang Tso-lin, as the new representative of Manchuria, suggested a conference in July-, 1928, Cffiang Kai-shek declined to negotiate with him, demanding his complete submission, the disarming of the Northern forces and the occupation of Manchuria by Southern troops. As Chang Hsueh-liang declined to accept these proposals, Chiang threatened to open a new campaign. The Manchurian leader then yielded and in October, 1928, became a member of the Nationalist Government,

On October 10, 1928, Chiang Kai-shek took the oath as President of the Republic and the day was celebrated as Independence Day—the first time since the Republic was formed that the country had been united under a single Government. In his message to the nation he urged the people to put aside superstitions, to educate themselves, especially in science, and to adopt modern methods.

The reorganized Nanking Government with Chiang as President of the Council, Dr C. T. Wang as Foreign Minister and Feng as War Minister was recognized by the Powers. But in February 1929, a rising brought about by Chang Chung-chang led to friction between Chiang and Feng. The latter resigned and attacked the Nanking troops, the conflict lasting till the summer of 1930. In May, 1929, the enlarged Council of State again elected Chiang as President of China, but Feng had himself proclaimed Dictator of Northern China. Is. the summer the President had to deal with a revolt of the Kwangsi group in the South led by Chiang Fat-kwai, who marched on Canton. He therefore had to come to terms with Feng, who received a huge bribe. In July he resigned the Presidency, declaring that he would be merely com-mander-in-chief. The situation was complicated by peasant insurrections due to the oppressive land taxes and those arising out of the civil war and by Communist risings. Then came the conflict with Russia over the seizure of the telephones and telegraphs belonging to the Chinese Eastern Railway. Chang Hsueh-liang, Governor of Manchuria, settled the dispute against the wishes of Nanking by recognizing the Soviet claims. The result was great tension between Mukden and Nanking. This strengthened the hands of the rebellious generals who repeatedly demanded the deposition of Chiang. He refused to go. Then headed by Feng, Yen Hsi-shan and Wu Pei-fu, they established a rival Government at Pekiji. At the same time Yen declared Chiang a traitor and set a price on his head. Finally in June, 1930, Chang Hsuehliang declared for Nanking, after which Chiang inflicted severe defeats on Feng and put down sanguinary Communist risings in the Yangtse Valley. The action of Chang Hsueh-liang forced the Northern leaders to evacuate Pekin which in September 1930. was occupied by the Manchurians. Chiang then entered into negotiations with Feng which in October 1930, led to the cessation of hostilities. The Northern coalition was dissolved and Feng relieved of his posts and amnestied. He and Yen gave out that they were leaving for Japan, but Feng remained 'in China. In the same month Chiang became a Christian like his second wife, Miss Soong, whom he married in 1917, and was baptized at Shanghai by a Chinese Methodist pastor. He had already resumed the title of President of China. In 1931 he abandoned his policy of dictatorship and proposed the presentation of a provisional constitution or bill of rights. It

was expected that this move would do much to conciliate those who had resented his former methods.