Denied: Fengtien Prepares for War The following is an interesting item translated from a Chinese letter, just received.
The "Yih Shih Pao" of the 7th instant reported that Marshal Chang. Tso-Un, the Mukden Ieader, had given permission to Japanese to establish a water and water- power electricity works in the vicinity of the Yalu River, and. was thus "giving away China's national rights to the people so much hated by the Chinese people." From definite inquiries made, we are able definitely to state that there is not iota of truth in the report.
The truth was that Gem Machine, an adviser to Marshal Chang, made such a proposal, but this was immediately set aside by the Commander-in-Chief on the ground that the Yalu River was under joint control and that any action in connexion with it must be concerted and not one-sided. One party alone could not take the initiative without the consent of the other.
This being the case, it was proposed to establish a Sino-Japanese Water & Yalu River Power. Electricity Ca. for the purpose of supplying Korea and other districts along the Yalu River. The Chinese maintained that there was not sufficient water power to warrant the establishment of such a company, but Gen. Machine considered that there was. The matter was and is simply a matter of discussion and no action has been taken either for or against the scheme.
The "Yih Shih Pao" evidently does not understand the real Yalu River situation. To say that Marshal Chang TsoJin is giving away China's national rights is absolutely wrong, for if he can be attacked in such a matter, then Gen. Machine may also be attacked by the Japanese press for giving away Japan's national rights, for, as stated, the Yalu River is under Japan's control as much as it is under China's.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.