Fengtien Airmen Said to Have Bombed Shanhaikuan: of Chihli Army: Men and Mules Seized for Transport Province Now Considers Itself Wholly Out of War Which It Never Wanted From Our Own Peking, Sept. 18.
Reports which are credited in official civeles state that Fengties airmen bombarded Shanhaikuan today. IE these reports are true, it marks the opening of the Mukden offensive, which has been for shadowed for the past two days. Tf there veen any hopes of a last-minute peace, they were shattered by to-day's Presidential mandates declaring war on Marshal Chang Tso-lin and appointing Commanders of the Chibli armies.
Marshal Wu Pei-fu is given supreme command, with Gen, Wang Cheng-ping second in command, la charge of two wings of the armies in the field, None of the command ers has yet left Peking, but their troops have been moving northwards for several days past.
The Chihli line will extend from a point facing Chaoyang to, feng kow and on to Shanhaikuan, and. by this time the troops must have come into collision with the Fengtien forces between these Wu Pei-fu's Energy.
The presence of Marshal Wu Pei-fu in the capital has stiffened the attitude of the Chili The prompt issue of the mandate regarding Chang Tso-lin is the first fruit of his visit and his constant conferences with the Army Commanders are another proof of the influence he exerts. He plunged: straight away into a conference with Gon. Feng Vu-hsiang a3 soon as he arrived in Peking at three o'clock yesterday morning. Among those with whom he has been in close conference is Dr. W. W. Yen, who had never previously' met him.
Tt is not at all certain yet whee ther Gen. Feng Vu-hsiang will go the front. In anticipation, however, of persuasion shaving successful effect, Marshal Wu Pei-fu is stated to be bringing other troops northward to guard the capital.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.