Since my last letter there has been a much quieter feeling in all circles about the prospects of this province being drawn into the present struggle between Fengtien and Chibli, The exodus of students that I noted at that time ceased within a few days and the preparations for the proposed North China Union Athletic meeting went on apace.
I said at that time that the Tuchun of Honan was extremely anxious to remain out of the struggle, and was determined to do so if by any means he could remain neutral. This was not thought to be because he had no bias, but because his position is difficult in the extreme. General Wu Pei-fu, located in the province, as he has been for the past months, with the best disciplined) army in the north, was in a position to dictate and he had the will to do so too. With an undoubted natural_inclination towards General Chang Tso-lin, and this consuming distrust for Wu Pei-fu, General Chao Ti dared not declare for the former and he would not declare for the latter.
On his part General Wu Pei-fu has been able to remind the Tuchun of Honan that when General Feng Vu-hsiang was in the south of Honan last year, and was prepared to join forces with Divisional Commander Chen of Changtefw in the north of the province to oust the Tuchun from his office, it was he, Wu, that was the restraining force at that time. Further General Wu soldier enough to know that should his present struggle with Chang in the north show any favows for the Fengtien forces, it would not be very long till his rear might be threatened with the Honan forces. Nor are there wanting prophets who freely pass the opinion that this would be the result.
Now it turns out that the Governor of Shensi, General Feng Yuhsiang is out to support General Wu with all the forces at his command. With the declaration of the Shantung Tuchun that his province shall remain neutral, General Wu Pei-fu can feel perfectly free to concentrate his full powers for the pending struggle in Cfihli. And to give himself double assurance that his rear shall not be threatened he has called General Chao Ti to conference in Chengchow. General Feng Vu-hsiang is also expected to be a party at this parley, and even as I write the pata of ener is un-fee Tat these allies. For the lonbtedly being forced to join up
allies are in a position to dictate terms-to the Tuchun, and they are prepared to carry cwt their threats.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.