Peking, Aug. 20, The report that Sun Chuan-fang's troops have come into collision with the Kiangsi forces strengthens the apprehension felt by the vernacular: press that a war between Kiungsi and Chekiang is -brewing. For several days now the newspapers have taken a serious view of the forebodings from the two provinees, and even though the official view not 80 alarmist, the shock has eon' registered on. the money market of the capital, causing th quotations of Government bonds to fall and. the exchange market to close altogether.
The Tuchunship of Kiangsi It the development on the Kiangsi-Fukien border turns out beak reported, the situation is following the lines which have been foreshadowed for the lust six months. Even before that it was felt. that the first shock-absorber would be the province of Kiangsi, whose Governor, Tsai Cheng-tsan, now full to. repletion with the ill-gotten wealth of poppy cultivation, and who hax been marked down for removal by the Chihti party for several months. Some time ago, it will be recalled, Marshal Chi Hsieh-yuan came to an understanding with Sun Chuo) fang whereby it was agreed that each would help the other in the attainment of his ambition, Whew Li, Hou-chi was ejected—frown Fukien province, Sun had to be content with the Defence Commissioner ship of the Pukien-Kaungtung border, leaving Chou Yinejon reap the major rewards of the coup in Foochow itself. This of course wax not exactly to Sun's king, and ever since he has been nourishing a desire for a real live Tuchunship. His eyes fell Kiangsi, where Tsai hud about come to ud of his tether, and understanding with Chi had ax its objective the capturing of that satrapy.
Nanking Prep:
What, was Chis part of the bargain? Che Nanking Tuchun cleverer than most of his con of the Tuchunate, and his scheme {sto surround Chekiang with hostile forces so ax to enmesh Lu Yung-hsiang at his own lence, The time for acti ripe when Sun is safely on the western flank, and then, say authoritative Chinese circles in the capital, will Chi risk lion with the Undoubtedly Nunking ix quietly preparing for the trouble that seems to be impending, It ix known that Marshal Chi hax made requests to the Government for sereplanes jrmen, and the writer's in-that the latter are to get rid of Tsai would like see him replaced by Sun Chuanis indebted for' wes in Fukien. And in the of the future the goodwill of is almost indispensable. In the event of Sun making a bid for the the light of the demoralization of the cops and. Ts he should meet th tion—Wu would then leave Sun-Chi combination to work on: thole plan of ce-operation in ousting. La out of Chékiung, without, however, losing his interest undertaking should the euterpri show signs of failure, The Loy coifers ave seriously depleted ux a result of the Chihli party's adv tures in western China; their condition disposes one to the belief that Wu would like to rest awhile before barking on any further expedi" although Yung-hsiang table Hight, still the fa that he ix the protege or of the Chekiang governor. modern China this relationship may not im wax formerly demanded of ill remains an important factor life. General Wu is a stickler for the customs of his cour try. His loyalty to the Presi is one example of his regard for tie that binds them. The hinds him to Lu Yui it will take some st it is severed by the spilling of blood. Not only so, but the Loyung General is himself the patron or "teacher" neral in China. If he the respect of those of hix support crx who are in the same position toward him as he is toward General This is not intended to show that the tie will never be broken. Re-history is proof that such iexions are easily dissolved "in ordinate, for ite other name, is ax China as it ix anywhere else. But Wu's policy, now that he has come an understanding with Chi, t Nanking as himself taking part the con. flict, or directly encourage the ame time, should th provinces be involved face of another Chibli-Fengt fight may be ignited, and then Wa Pei-fu would have to throw the whole of his forces into the straggle, which, when it comes, will be no week-end affair. The rumblings from the southeast are certainly disquieting. this activity is not induced merely by the presence on Chekiang soil of the few thousand soldiers of Tsang Chi-ping and Yang Tua-chao. That of course is a provocation not only to Chi but to Wu Pei-fu, but in itself it would not be worth bother ing about. Marshal Chi would have pursued his plans for the checkmating of Chekiang without the help of this incident, and if it had not been for the restraining influence of Wu Pei-fu would probably have applied a match to the pile many months ago.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.