Marshal Chi Hsieh-yuan By vast numbers of Chinese the mandate dismissing Marshal Chi Heidi-yean of Nanking and pointing Marshal Lu Yung-hsiang his place will be received!
ith unfeigned regret both on personal and political grounds. For several days past "it has: been' "apparent thatthe rem-rants of the old Anfu party" who feonslder that, the loaves and. fishes should now be to them, although, kim justice, we are sure that Marshal Tuan Chi-sil does not share that view, thave been working. might and main against Marshal Chi, Nor oan Chang Tso-lin be exonerated. Was it not reported a Rew days ayo that he was massing swoops on the TientsinPukow Railway. with a view to a descent upon" Nanking? This and the additional report. to-day of similar nature may be exaggerated, and in fany case the notion of extensive military operations in the depths of winter is fantastic. But there ap~ pears to be mo doubt that Marshal Ghng is quite determined " that Marshal Chi innet go. It 3s an old saying that there are as good fish the soa as ever came our of it.
There is no question whatever of Marshal Chi's ability and integrity. We are willing to believe that he is not the only Chinese official, who jean lay claim to these recommendations. But at a time such as the present it is of the greatest importance that there should be no needless disturbance of official positions where they are well held. And it is_no mere compliment say that Manshal Chi tras deserved well of Kiangsu province and of the SHanghai district in pauticular,—- Jas witness the extraordinary pains is absolutely [that ne took last October, after hsiang, to avoid any renewal of the' war on Shanghat's boundaries even [chough the provocation was great. Furthermore, while Marshal Lat hus also proved his ability administrator for Chakiang, his Jreputation has been distinctly smirched in this province by his desertion of his troops, leaving them unprotected—and unrepresented; f Jand it may well be asked what is the precise difference between the Inspectorship General of three provinees, now abolished, and the post Jof Pacificator of two provinces, to which Marshal Lu is appointed. Except in name, and the loss of one province, there is im fact no differ-fence at,'all. The mandate la direct challenge to Chi in particular and the Yangtze in general, a piece of wanton provocation, a deplor-lable evidence of despicable inferigue among the supporters of Marshal Tuan at a time when all Jother differences of opinion should sunk and, as said who really love proved that they 10, Jagainst the insidious ark fatal 3¢|machinations of Bolshevism.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.