Monday, Mar. 19, War news is still searce, although there is no doubt about the troop. movements north of Pukow into the Hsuchowfu region. General Chiang Kai-shek has not yet left for the front, It is reported, however, that hho will leave some-time this week.
Huschowfu is interest the divisions sent th the Dragon Festival Nanking, Mar. 17.
Speaking before "newspaper correspondents yesterday, General Chiang Kai-shek said that he be-Veved that the Revolationary Forces would be able to reach Peking before the Dragon Boat Festival. 'The most encouraging aspect at present, according to the Nationalist 'Commander-in-Chief, was that the Fengtien Warlords' bad at their command a combined force of only about 200,000 soldiers, while the Nationalist Revolutionary Force number over 500,000 men. Constant disturbances gin' the rear of the Fengtien Army caused by tacks front the Shansi Army were placing the Northern Expeditionary Forces in an advantageous position, Genera) Chiang pointed out that, people in the North were under frightfully heavy burdens imposed by Fengtien militarism and were ooking forward to the advance of the Nationalist troops.
Regarding diplomatic relations, General Chiang said that the first matter to be settled was the Nan-King incident. The case had "already been discussed by the Central Political Coane and the following kuei, which had always pected of being a Communist army, but which participated in the White Terror succeeding the Red Terror of the Communist coup d'état in Canton last December. Since then hho has been fighting in the East River district of Canton, but had made little progress against the forces of General Li Chi-hsin and General Chen Ming-chu, When General Chiang went to Hangchow a fortnight ago, he arranged for the passage through Chekiang pro-vinea of the 4th Army, which is called, "The Ironsides."
The value of the 4th Army is two basic pri posed for observation in the nego tions: (1) that all discussions be entered into on the initiative of the mands; (2) that all questions be discased in the spirit of equality.
General Chiang concluded by say-Ing that in all matters of foreign relations, the Nationalist Government was willing to deal fairly and sincerely if the Powers did not in any way impede the progress vf the Revolution—Kuo We OwinG to the urgent need for salaries.are being reduced from 25 50 per cent, is from the first this: month, fighting Army was wiped out on the actual] Koo Chu-tung, commander of the battlefield, "How much of this army still communistically inclined is speculative, A startling report that Mr. Wang of these men near Hsuchowfu and Ching-wei and his party and Mr. there appears no immediate danger Hu Han-min and his party would marching southwards, return to Nanking in a month must Marshal Sun Choan-fang, the robe discounted, There are many port continues, is concentrating his rumours of probable dissolution of forees at Tsining, against Marshal the present Nanking Government, Feng Vu-hsiang.' The enemy are which are based upon known dis-digging trenches at Taianfu and to sensions among the leaders, but it the north of Hanchuang, near Linfs not likely that there will be any cheng. change until after the fighting ha The Second Army Group of the been under way and some indica Nationalists is still stationed in tions of results appear, General Pengpu. Gen, Liu Tz (formerly Pei Chung-hsi and the Kuangsi stationed in Chapel as Defence generals out of Hankow will par-Commissioner) has been appointed ticipate in the Northern expedition Garrison Commistioner of the city. along the Kinhan line, but th Against the above reports, a. activities will be independent of visitor from Hauchowfa informs both Nanking and Marshal Feng the Chinese papers that heavy fighting has taken place near the Low of Hsuchowfu Denied city and many killed and wounded have been left in the field of battle, Farpay, Mar. 28.
The "North-China Daily News" has officially been requested by the local military authorities to deny:
to the effect that Hsuchow-fa has again fallen into the hands of the Shantung-Chibli Armies under Marshal Sun Chuan-fang.
This rumour is further disproved by the fact that the southern tion of the Tientsin-Pukow Railway is still open to Hsuchowfu and trains are running as usual. Moreover. through tickets are also being sold for the Lung-Hai Railway, the junction of which is at Heuchowfu.
Questioned yesterday by a representative of the "North-China Daily News," an important member of the staff of the Shanghai and Woosung, Garrison Commissioner (Gen. Hsiung Hsi-hui being still in Nan-King) said that the Nationalist forces still control the Tientsin-Pukow Railway and the Grand Canal as far north as Hanchuang, where the outposts of both armies. are facing each other. Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang's Kuominchun are reported to be concentrating near Ger informant said that there had been a few skirmishes, recently but no severe fighting.
the course of a report to the Nanking Government (published it yesterday's Chinese press), Gen.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.