There have been many rumours in Peking lately concerning events in Kiachta. It was first reported that a large Japanese force had cut across from a station east of Verkne Udinsk and had occupied both Kiachta and Maimacheng later it was rumoured that a Bolshevik force was in complete cha~ge, and now it is said that a fino-
Japanese force on the one hand, and a Red army on the other, have divided Kiachta between them and have established a r.cutral zone.
It is rumoured in Peking that Little Hsu has gone in person. This cannot be confirmed but it is certain that. detachments from his troops at Urga were sent in great haste to reinforce a Japanese force of 35 infantrymen at Maimacheny and that they have. already arrived there and have patched up a truce with the Bolshevik forces near Kiachta, It is said that in response to a Japanese appeal, Hsu Shu-cheng sent two battalions of infantry, two squadrons of cavalry, a machine-gun corps and artillery of some sort, so that with the Chinese who were already on the frontier there must be at this time at least 1,500 nien in Maimaicheng. Tt would appear from these reports that Little Hsu at least is living up to the obligations of the military alliance.
Leanincs To BorsHevisa-
Chinese comment upon this situation is interesting, if not instructive. There can be no doubt that. the intelligent middle classes in North China regard the introduction into China of an adapted Bolshevism as the best immediate solution of this country's troubles. Bolshevism means something ferent to each individual who studies and preaches it, but to the merchants and educators who now constitute China's literate wuddie class, it means a popular rising which would drive all the militarist officials into the foreign concessions: which would put every Chinese province under the direct government of its provincial assembly, and would yield up to the people all the spoils of the militarists for free division. The land anestion would not enter into Chinese Bolshevism and the very large nuwiber of middle-class intellectuals who are now advacating a Red rule in Chin: anticipate no more than the ove! throw of their parasitical official They fail to realize, as most foreigners would, upon' a first survey of the situation, that if China's unpaid army and coolie masses were once turned loose in a Bolshevistic orgy a horrible pandemoniuui would ensue in which the middle-class shopkeeper would be the worst sufferer... However short-sighted they may be, they believe in the ower of the movement and one hears everywhere in Peking the prophecy that within six months Bolshevisui will drive the Japanese from the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.