Depredations of Unpaid Mercenary Troops: Difficulty of Effecting Unification of Finance:
Cantonese Army Recognized by Gen, Hsu:
Volunteer Movement Canton, July 10.
By declaring that he will no Tonger be responsible for the regular maintenance of his mercenary. troops from July 7 and adyism them to raise funds within territory to which they have been assigned for purposes of defence Dr. Sun Yat-sen is virtually aba doning his hived henchmen. They have proved a curse to Kuangtun while pretending to help their master' to overcome Gen. Chen ming. A sharp turn in the situation, both military and poli cal, in Canton may be expected at any moment, and a review of the action taken by the various parties concerned in Kuangtung affairs may be of interest to those studying Chinese events.
For' months Dr. Sun has been trying to effect unification of finance under his jurisdiction, but the commanders of the various mercenaries, controlling channels! fof revenue, have never once actually obeyed his order to. submit their accounts to the Central Administration, much ess that to mit money." Instead of ce-opera' ing with Dr. Sun in devising means for equal distribution of funds among the many military units, each commander has enriched him:
if. personally, neglecting the in-sot his_men. The troops have thus been foreed to commit crimes to obtain _pocket-money and have brought about the present Feign of terror in many of the cities of South China, "Tired of his mercenary troops and in onder. prevent further terrorism, Dr. Sun Some time ago issued orders. tha: no more arms and ammunition should be supplied to them by the Kuangtung Arsenal,. He also ordered the removal of all troops from Canton City to the outskirts. The less powerful commanders complied with the order, but {tv Zrowned on by the more influential ones. Dr. Sun is now trying to Yeorganize the Cantonese army without depending on outside support and troops to maintain his hold on Canton,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.