Futility of Attack on Nanking Tuchun Now Fully Recognized:
Marshal Chi's Position as Strong as Ever It Was: Fengtien Unable to Move Against Him Fae Our Owx Peking, Dec. 23.
A gloomy view is taken in Peking of developments in the Yang-tae Valley, although it is felt that consider the situation for a long time before dividing their strength.
Marshal Chang Tso-lin's actions are now dictated by his ambitious Lieutenants who have yet to receive their spoils of anxious to get ba: cular care was taken to bandle the question properly, because it was thought that Marshal Chi Hsieh-yuan had no more than 72 rounds vite and that therefore, even if he obtained the necessary support. from. his subordinates, he could not offer any show of resistance.
The Kiangsu Tuchun was quite ready to resign, it is said,, but his dismissal and. the subsequent pre-Yor the invasion of by Fengtien soldiers not only changed his attitude but rallied to his cause those malcontents in Nanking who had practically made his position there untenable. They Knew that all their jobs would be endangered if Fengtien entered into possession, Marshal Chi is also provided with a battle-ery with which to try to gain the support the people.
Chang Tso-lin's Dilemma Marshal Chi Hsieh-yuan will now count on the uncertainty of the situation in Peking to help him in his defiance of the Central Government, and with reason. The opinion is expressed here that Marshal Chang Tso-lin will not dare further to weaken his position in the Pe-King and Tientsin area by sending troops down the railway, whose line of communications. might conceive ably be cut at any time, thus duplicating the experience of Wu Pei-fa when he returned to Tientsin to fight General Feng Yuhsiang.
'The tepid attitude of' the Shantung Tuchun is also remarked upon as a further discouragement to the {dea of despatching an immediate punitive expedition.
Strong efforts are being made to create a diversion in Kiangeu itself before fighting is resorted t and to this end intrigues are working at high pressure.
'A rumour gained wide eu to-day that General Feng Vu-hsiang had withdrawn his resignation, This is untrue as far as I am able to make out, but the report shows how the development of the situa tion on the Yangtze is associated in the public mind with the delicate state of affairs in the capital.
_If fighting occurs, General Feng is again provided with a reason for upsetting the prev: His is truly a masterly retirement, for he has simply to allow the march of events in order to but-Position. felt here that Marshal Tuan Chi-jui's administration willie severely tested in the next few weeks: also, that Marshal Wu Pei-fu may take advantage of the op-
of events, Portanity to return to the stage
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.