Peking, Feb. 13.
While Wu Pei-fu and his various subordinates are busy in the Yangtze and the South, it is believed that the first steps have been taken towards ai rapprochement between Chang Tsolin and the present Cabinet in Peking. There is no thing to show that this means another war between Wu Pei-fu and Chang T'so-lin or that the Manchurian dictator even contemplates moving in this direction. In fact the character of such negotiations as are known to have gone on, indicates that all of Chang Tso-lin's interest is at the moment centred in the North.
A certain General Chen has been running to and fro between Peking, and Mukden, having confidential, talks with Premier Chang Shao-tseng and Marshal Chang, and from the, second hand reports of these conversations one gathers that Chang Tso-lin is eager to learn what support he might expect from this part of the world in case ho came into conflict with the Reds in North Manchuria, MAMMON OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, There are many elements in Manchuria that are not favourable to Chang Tso-lin. Of this Chang. himself is as well aware as anyone else. The leaders of these various factions have frequently used Peking as a base and a meeting ground. Kao Shih-ping, for in. stance, always camped in Peking while thinking out new ways of annoying Chang Tso-lin. Since the present Government has no following of really efficient military commanders, with the exception of Feng Yii-hsiang, and the possible exception of Wang Ch'eng-pin, commander of the 23rd_ Division, there is not much that the Premier can offer in the way of material support, so it is said that he has tried to show good will by seeking out and conciliating the leaders of elements of the Manchurian population who, if they were reconciled with Chang Tso-lin, might streng-than his hand in the event of a conflict with the Reds. It is further said that Chang Tso-lin has pledged himself to meet these leaders half way.
These stories, which are well founded, indicate several things. ihey seem to show, first of all, that there is some truth in the persist_ ent rumour that Chang Tso-lin is not enjoying very cordial] relations with the Japanese. If he expected material support from them in the event of a struggle with the Reds, he would not need to dicker with enemies or potential enemies in Manchuria, They seem to show also that Chang' Tso-lin actually fours a Red invasion of the Chinese
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.