Peking, Feb. 1.
There is a group of eminently respectable - officials and—ex-officials in Peking generally known as the Old Chiaotung Party. The members of this faction were highly influential under Yuan Shih-kai. The leaders were exiled as monarchists after his death, but for something more than a year they have enjoyed some prestige as advisers to President Hsu and as powerful opponents in Peking to the pro-Japanese group headed by Tsao Julin and Lu Tseng-vii, which is known as the new—Chiaotung party. The old Chiaotung leaders have always been strong sup: porters of American and British enterprises in China. They have been associated with almost every American venture, and although many of these deals have been political and financial failures, their prestige in Chinese circles has been such that their influence among the elder politicians has been little diminished.
The time has come now, however. when the successes of their opponents under the Japanese wis have set a new standard. Japanese ventures are consistently successful in China and the Chinese are worshippers of success. The prosperity of men like Tseng Yun-pei and Ting Shih-yuan is beginning to weigh against the traditional "standing" of Liang Shih-yi, Chow Tze-chi and Chu Chi-chien. ' These latter seem to have awakened suddenly to the horrible possibility of being shelved among China's venerable antiques. This realiza tion has undoubtedly created a stir in the ranks of the old Chiaotung Party. They feel that they must hitch their wagon to an ambient star and the star in this instance, the most noticeably ambient in the firmament, is Little Hsu.
Srrexora tHE Ivor.
As we have often said, the Chin: ese observing in their leaders such a conspicuous lack of backbone, fairly adore the stiff back and, as the high-priest of stubbornness, Little Hsu is gaining adherence: many camps in which his policy is wholly unacceptable.
There is no doubt, for instance, that he has gained a large follo: ing in the South. The most radical among the radicals are beginning to look to him as the potential big man in China, simply because he can bring his fist down on a council table and say yes or no with real decision. The former followers ut Feng Kuo-chang are beginning to contrast amiable persons like Li Shun and Tsao Kan with Hsu Shu-cheng who has a mind of his own.
will be remembered that Tanz Shao-yi and Sun Yat-sen were once vastly interested in the Japanese
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.