May 8.
Reports from north China are conflicting. The alarms based on Marshal Chang Tso-lin having: called in the rolling stock on the Peking-Mukden railway have been. explained as connected with a possible dispute over the Shantung 'Tuchunship which is now not likely to arise. And in the capital itself, foreign opinion tends to be more hopeful, even' to the point of declaring that there will be no war this summer' and that.the system of "checks) and balances," as between the different Tuchuns, has been brought to such a degree of; equilibrium that no disturbance) of it need be feared.
To this feeling of confidence one cannot be indifferent; and one may hope and pray that it ie well founded. But we are bound to say that it is not shared by Chinese politicians in Shanghai. For these it is inevitable' that Marshals Chang Tso-lin and Feng Yuchsiang are preparing! for another meaningless und) personal war. When Feng Yuhsiang betrayed Wu Pei-fu and nade a victory possible for Chang! Tso-lin, it was all too clear, they' say, that the Manchurian and) the' Christian General would one! day test their strength against each other. "It was hoped that Tuan Chi-jui and his Anfu Government might do something to delay, if not prevent, such a war, but his own indecisiveness and the unwillingness of either of! the country's leading militarists tu abide by any central authority, has resulted in a recrudescence of war talk. That. both Feng Vu-hsiang and Chang Tso. have been preparing for war hat been no secret. Both have been! recruiting Russian _assistance, -lin among the refugee)
("Feng Vu-hsiang among the Reds. Both have been laying in stores of munitions. Both have been raising money by every possible method. Both have been! negotiating alliances throughout} the country. The death of Hu Ching-yi in Honan was a blow to Feng Vu-hsiang; but the possible defection of Li Ching-lin, Tupan ai Chihli, has worried Chang Tso-lin, Neither of the war-lords appears to have any clear programme of reconstruction for China, unless (we are still quoting the Shanghai Chinese belief) Feng's be the Sovietization of the country and Chang's the restoration of the monarchy.. Neither; of them has shown a particular Gesire to see China at peace and under civil administration; nor, since the founding of the Republic, has either adhered to and obeyed any central administration for any sufficiently long period to make their adherence and obedience effective for peace and order.
What then would these men be fighting for? Why should war be inevitable? If they are fighting for the domination of China Uy military force, have they not the examples of Yuan Shih-kai, Fong Kuo-chang, Sun Yat-sen, Tuan Chi-jui and Wu Pei-fu before them? What have these men availed? What is the total value of their services to the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.