By Gronor E. Soxousky The pre-eminence of Tuan Chi-Juin the present political situa-dion has encouraged the: writer to review his career and policies since organization of the Peiyang itary Party. The data for this leas been gathered from many sources, including. interviews ponents of the "Old Master" in other days.
When Yuan Shih-kai'was creat ing a model army, after his return from Korea he was assisted in his efforts by Feng Kuo-chang, Wang Shih-teen and Tuan Chi-jui And when some years later "he was forced to retire to Honan after the death of the Empress Dowager 'Tézu Hsi and the Emperor Kuang Hau, his Model Army was nominal under an appointee of the Throne, but it was actually commanded by Feng Kuo-chang and Tuan Chi-jui, General Wang Shih-tsen's neutral personality prevented him from becoming a leading factor in this army.
Yuan Shih-kai was recalled in 1911 to save the tottering Manchu Dynisty. He was re-appointed by, Imperial Decree to assume the posi tion of commander-in-chief of the Model Army, then known as_the Peiyang Army. At this time Feng 'Kuo-chang was' engaged in suppressing the revolution at Hankow, while. Tuan Chi-jui was in command of the troops in Peking and its vicinity.
After the death of Yuan Shih-Li Yuan-hung, who was conan outsider by the Peiyang militarists, became President. Although, the, Constitution "provided that Vice-President was to the regarded such succession as accidental when it interfered with the normal seniority. within their own ranks. Li Yuan-hung was never permitted to gain control over uny part of the Peiyang Party. He be-ame dependent upon the two chiefs, Feng Kuo-chang and Tuan Chi-jui, Since neither of them liked him, he failed as Pre and was finally ousted from office during the Chang Hsun coup d'état.
During the coup Tuan was at Tientsin. He was persuade ed by his subordinates to ta mand of the forces opposing Chang Hsun. He gained the credit of restoring the Republic. After capturing Peking, Tuan Chijui himeelf in awkward position. his personal enemy, was at Nanking in command of the Yangtze, while he was in Peking without any authority to act. As Premier, he was compelled to make whatever lintments Feng Kuo-chang required before the latter would come to Peking to assume the Presidency. These appointments left Feng Kuo-chang in complete command of the Yangtze, Yuan as President Tuan Defeated and Retired When the Revolution had begun to show its teeth, Yuan Shih-kai obtained the assistance of Tuan Chi-jui in calling upon the Manchus to "abdicate, and simultaneously ordered Feng Kuo-chang to prevent the rebels fame time, it is known not" wish Reng Kuo-chang. to n'a decisive. victory over the wolutionists as it was his plan to impress the Manchus with his di ficutien in. overcoming the fore tinder Huang Hsin and 14 Yuan: hun The Manchux were forced, to abdieute and, after a threat of in-Vasion of the Yangtze by. Yuan Bhiheleai, the Revolutionary Government at Nanking abdicated in as Bracottl a. manner ay possible. This gave Yuan Shih-kai control of the situation and he was formally lected Provisional President of the Republic of China.
Yuan. Shihckai had been out of Matters would perhaps have run smoothly, had it not been that the] south again rebelled. This. time, Tuan Chi-jui decided that the revolutionary element in the south iliad to be suppressed and the cou-try unified by force. Feng Kuo-chang allowed him to send expedi-jons into Hunan and elsewhere, Tending him some of his own troops for the purpose. But Feng Kuo-chang was treacherous, giving secret instructions to his own troops net to fight the southerners, thus placing Tuan in an impossible position. Tuan Chi-jui's follow. ors now decided that the only thing to do wi tion of President. Large sums were rai ed to elect a President whom they! could control. An illegal Pali ment was arranged, which made Hsu Hsih-chang President China. This ie known as the Anfu Parliament. touch with the officers and troops of the Model Army which had be-ome accustomed to taking its, orders from Tuan Chi-jul and Feng Kuo-chang. To prevent these two from combining. against him, Yuan Shih-kai set about stirring up dis factions between them. Tuan Chi-jai was made Minister of War in Poking, while Feng Kuo-chang was 'Tuan's followers soon found that Hsu Hsih-chang was not trusted, that his policy was to keep himself' in power by intrigue and unscrupulous polities. He played the Chihli and Anfu parties against each other. The Anfu element then used the Nishihara loans as a weapon for the destruction of Hou Hsih-chang, whose policy Peking where he could dominate him and lessen the influence of -Wu Pei-fu.
'Although 'Tsao Kun was a weak member of the Ohikli Party, he was nevertheless its' head and he a hered closely to the Chinese idea a3 to how an, elder brother should treat the "younger brothers. Tu military matters, he naturally turned to Wu Pei-fu, his senior subordinate. Wu Pei-fu has a naturally' overbearing attitude which irritate ed many military men, but espec ly Feng Vu-hsiang. When the latter discovered that Wu Pei-fu, and Rot he, had the ear of the President, "he started to work with Tuan Chi-jui against Teao Kun and Wu Peifu. That Tuan Chi-Jui was willing to work with Peng Vu-hsiang is no indication that he trusted him. Nor was the Old Master favourably disposed to lead again, to control and to utilize for the unification of the countts. Tuan Chi-jui's subordinate members of the Anfu Party, many of them most unscrupulous, have been willing to use any element in the country, including the Christian General, to break the backbone of the Chibi Party of which he was a member. But it" is unbelievable that Tuan Chi-jui participated in all this intrigue, Tt would.
jul to-day has more respect for exaggeration to say that Tuan Chi-'Wu Pei-fo than for either Feng Yuchsiang or Chang Tao-lin and events now transpiring in! Tientsin, "panticalarly Toan's refusal to go to Peking, indicate 1s much, Tuan Resenting Control Now that Wu Pei-fu has been defeated, doth Feng Vu.
Chang Ts0- Tuan's good name ported by Tuan Chi-jui.
But Tuan Chi-jui is apparently unwilling to Tend himself to a scheme whereby he will go to Peking under the protection of either Feng Vu-hsiang or Chang Tsoain and it is impossible for these two generals to unite to afford him joint protection. They both want to control Tuan; Tuan wants neither of them to control But Tuan Chi-jui's position i exceedingly difficult. The remains. of the Anhui faction of the Peiyang Party are not strong enough to overcome the opposition of Chang Tso-lin and Feng Vu-hsiang; yet there old generals cannot traditionally join with a man whom they so much distrust as Feng nor' with an utter outsider, like Chang Top-lin. They must seek strength elsewhere.
If one analyzes the career "of Tuan Chi-jui, one finds that he has ever sought an opportunity to organize a national army, to be used for the unification of the country. He has always maintained: that with so many military organizations, to bring order out of chaos.
What then would be more in keeping with his career than the uniting of the Anhui and Chihti factions of the Peiyang Party and thus reorganizing: this military body into a national army? From the attitude of Wa Pei-fu,
generals, it is apparent that they.
jan and the other Chihli would welcome Tuan's leadership based upon the reunification of the Peiyang Army and purposing the eventual reunification of the country. While these men would never submit to Feng. Yuchsiang and Chang Tso-lin, oF even to. Tuan Chi-jui controlled by Feng and Chang, there can no longer: be any doubt as to their willingness to serve under Tuan Chi-jul as the chief of the reunited Peiyang Army. There could be no loss of face or sacrifice in returning to the fold of the "Old Master.
The Chinese are possessed of the Idea of seniority and sometimes one cannot but feel that if the Govern ment were placed in the hands of older -yi, Tuan whi-jui, Chu Administrative and military officials of another day, the country would Renefit in the long run, Men of this. type accomplished much more while in office than any of the inexperienced youths, who have brought hina to such an unfortunate period as the present.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.