Marshal Wu Pei-fu paid a flying]
it here on May 28, arriving at six. o'clock in the morning—and returning to Chengchow at noon the same day. For two days the city] had been in gala attire for the visit, and twice the troops had] lined the streets expecting to receive im, but without result. On his arrival he was taken to the mai parade ground where a_ military review was staged for him, and then followed a dinner at the Dragon Pavilion, after which _he proceeded to the railway station and] quietly left for Chengchow.
Since the last political turnover we have enjoyed peace of a kind, but the merchants are being un. mercifully fleeced in the matter of taxes demanded by the military. The latter control all freight cars and demand heavy "squeeze" for their rental. For instance the military surtax, so-called, on a 20 ton ear from Chengchow to) Ksifeng, a distance of 45 miles, is 80 dollars, and apart from this; the merchants have to pay the regular railway rates, and iki and charges of different kinds. 1) have been informed by a Chinese! merchant that he has been notified} the military surtax is shortly. to be' doubled. Foreign firms apparent. ly are not compelled to pay this} military tax.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.