The present war in China is probably, the most mysterious one she has endured of the many during her short republic. Firstly because it has not run true to type, secondly because of the state of stalemate which has been produced. It is not true to type because it is continuing too long; the normal time for discussing peace seems to have passed, with apparently no intention on either side of arranging a settlement commonly the end of warfare in China. That may be due to a number of reasons—failure of either fo obtain an advantage which was not immediately offset by a gain on the other side, the inability of either side to make much headway on the Kin-Han Railway, and the effective defensive of the Kuominchun centred around for the capture of Tsin: was so-long delayed of any moral significance, and the reported annihilation of the Ironsides and Kuangsi troops, Which according to news agency reports has happened so many times as to deprive it of any real importance whatever, little of interest, militarily speaking, has occurred on either side. Cireumstantial stories are published of positions being taken with considerable loss to either side or both, high sounding names have been given of places said to have been captured, places which, apparently, are unknown by name except in the immediate locality, which have never been occupied by one side or the other, and which are stated by observers to have had no military importance, The conclusion, which ems inevitable, is that both sides are indulging in something rather more sinister than ordinary censorship at the front.
Even more strange are the conditions prevailing in the ranks of the Northern Coalition, as compared with those in Nanking's forces. Whatever hopes General Feng Vu-hsiang and General Yen Hsi-shan originally had of enticing Wang Ching-wei and his followers into assisting in the formation of a Government in Peking, they seem to have gradually disappeared, or, if not that, to be considerably delayed in fulfilment. Apparently the Reorgavizationists are not yet convinced that under any system of which General Yen Hsi-shan is the keystone they wald have any real opportunity of putting their poli operation. There hi that the agreement between the war-lords themselves is not too substantial, and if there has latterly been any Waison between General Chang Fa-kuei in the South and the leaders in the North something appears to have gone wrong with their timetable. And lastly, the emergence of Marshal Wu Pef-fu into the limelight would seem to have been postponed for reasons not entirely within his control. On the other hand there is no indication of any dissension in the counsels of Nanking: it 1s presenting a united front to the enemy and from all appearances the intention of fighting the Northern Coalition @ outrance is just as strong now as when General Chiang Kai-shek changed from the defensive to the offensive some weeks ago. Both sides have appealed to General Chang Hsueh-liang in Mukden for active assistance but the young statesman, having} learned the lesson which cost his father so dearly, shows no signs at present of having anything to do with fighting outside his own domain, He has not even sent out the appeal to peace which both sides have so fervently assured the world at Jarge was just about to be issued in their individual behalf.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.