Mar, 22, Tar lotter that we publish today from Marshal Chang Tso-lin, in answer to the report that he is coming to Peking to restore the monarchy, is of more interest than most of the similar letters which men in his position have developed the habit of addressing to foreign papers, because it is much more frank. To} go back a little way, the ques tion why. Marshal' Chang is building up the large and well equipped army that he has. la Manchuria has evoked three possible answers: (1) that he dreams of becoming o kingmaker and restoring the ex-Emperor; (2) that he means to "have another smock"' at 'Wu Pei-fu; (9) -that he fears that] 'Wu Pei-fu means to attack hito} and he is therefore making ready to protect himself. The] firet suggestion his" letter emphatically repudiates. Vulgar-minded readers may possibly, "ink. the other eye' at Mar: shal Chang's.asseverance of his faith that "the power of govern-of: which' laudable ideal it mug be confessed that his own pro, vinces afford no very. striking example. But the times arg not 80 propitious for a mousy! phical restoration thats practi cal man like Marshal' Chang! should waste "time scheming for it, even if it had his favour In passing, there is rio earthly reason why he should not favour which could certain! worse than-thie Repul bie that never has been a republic and the shameless exploitation of China by @ minority' of "profite. ers posing: as-democracy. How. jover, Marshal-. Chang says that he does not believe. in a mon. archy, and we certainly would not doubt: his. word, 'Then, in his letter, comes the stereotyped protest that he has no wish to make war on anyone and that-his. army exists only for defence. But—Marahal Chang:.: is more' honest than some: ''If.ag-a last: resort," he writes, we sre "compelled to paso south of. Shanhaikuan and kick out the illegal Govern. ment in-Peking, we aboli do s0, but we shall immediately' reten, to Mukden for the satisfaction of the people." In other words the motion of self-defence does not exclude the idea of an often. sive, which, of course, any number of military writers have pointed out ie the best kind of defence.
Thrice armed is ho that hath his quarrel just, But four times ho who gets his blow in fust, Later on the statement. is attributed to him that he has no idea of making peace with any of the Ghibli party. He des cribes the whole Chihli faction as illegal. Which opens up vistas of interesting, though profitlees speculation n8 to when ther there exists any govern ment in any part of China whose claims to tectinical legality would stand examination. But the importance of Marshal Chang's statement is that thers is actually one wing of the Chili-party which, alarmed at the growing power of Marshal Wa Pei-fu, is actually discussing the possibility of calling in Mar. shal Chang Teo-lin to over throw him." Somehow one docs not see the Lord of Manchuria in the role of eatspaw for the Tsao Tui clique.
"The outstanding factor of Northern politics to-day is un+ doubtedly the growing ascendency of Marshal.Wu Pei-fu, whose power, supported on the Yangtze, now extends right across China from Szechuan (6 Psingtao. To some extent thab power is only on paper: lieutenants of Chinese warlords in distant provinces are not _alwars the surest foundation. Wu fu's'domain is more extensive than Chang Teo-lin's, but it is less compact. On the other hand, he has the advantage being on the right side of: the President, the recognized foreign Powers, and even it is said, of being able to dictate to his old'patron.. Peking, as Mr. Rodney Gilbert put it the other day, is a useful screen between him and the Diplomatic Body, but all the real authority is cen-tung in Loyang. And it matter of the. most vivid concern, what-Marshal Wu means to do. with it. He is the one Tuchun.in China who flatly refused to do even lip-service Sir Robert Ho Tung's round table conference scheme; and his mental-development has certainly advanced a long "way from that of the plain blue
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.