Marshal Chang Tso-in's position depends entirely upon the success, or otherwise of the Allied forces, to put the Cantonese to rout. The' Marshal cannot afford to have it otherwise for once the Southerners are permitted to occupy North China, thereby renewing the vigour "Christi ral, all will be lost of the Nationalists under the
insofar as Mukden is concerned. In view of this fact, feverish con. sultation are going' on in Mukden between the Marshal and his more hand and the representatives of] Wa Pei-fu and Sun Chuan-fang on the other.
There was a time when the Marshal could sit still in Mukden and let the rest of the country hang. To-day, his connexions are so diverse and complicated that he has to exert his utmost energy to Keep abreast with events. For this reason many ways and means have to be worked out to safeguard his position.
The visit of M. Martel is considered to be highly significant. France has for a long time sought to recover the funds invested by the French in Russia, She owes the United States a huge sum' and the frane is in need of a stimulant. It is consequently quite easy to conceive,, ner desire t" improve her nances by acquiring a lever with which to recoup her Rusvian losses, What complications will result government bear Mukdoa'e and to what extent the Soviet
tightening atip remain to be seen but M. Martel's visit has set all Manchtoia a-taking and in Marbin one hears of practically nothing also at the time of writing.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.