"We are laying the greatest stress upon the regional Governments. In Canton, Hankow, Chekiang and elsewhere, the branch party councils fare being managed with the greatest care. Tried party men are given the important positions and very fine work is being done. These regional councils are permanent institutions and are more repre: sentative of the Nationalist Movement. Tu these couneile, you will find northern politicians.
"We stress the regional cou because they are in accordance wit the political tendency of the time.
General Li was a difficult person to interview in some ways because hho would not let the interviewer lead to the logical conclusion of any statement. He would not sum maize, Therefore the suggestion that this tendency toward regional groupings of provinces left Nanking {without power or real authority, he would not answer The conversation torned to the 44th Army and General Li was asked what the people of Kuangtung thought of the presence in. the Nexthern Expedition, on the front. jand in Anhui, of this army which hhed looted, Canton, taken away millions of dollars, impoverished the city of Canton and murdered 99 many people.
"The people of Canton are very. bitter over this, They will, never forget the 4th Army and what it aid 20 them and they dislike the Ineorporation of this Army into thy Nationalist Army of the Northern But we officials realize tances of their incor~ poration and we hope that they will be contrite and will work off their evil reputation by good service at the front."
Confidence in Victory "General id our representa~ tive, "we foreigners are not vitally concerned in your victory because that means that your troops will move onward to the North. But should your armies suffer a decisive defeat, we are very much concerned because some of your less worthy General Li never replied to that troops will be thrown back into this region and" will bring upon us further troubles, In the event of such n defeat, will the Kuangsi faction, who established and maintained order here and with whom we have had direct con-fret and whom most of us liked—would they assume ress ponsibility for the: maintenance of Taw and order here?" Frankly, this question was asked as a polite me diation that some remarks on the plane of the Kuangsi group might he welcomed, General Li, however, dodged. the wort of the question, His eyes twinking and with a broad smile on hhis face, he replied, "We shall: win the Northern Expedition. And the Kuanpsi faction out of Hankow is, beginning to send troops—therefere awe cannot love. But even should we Rose, law and order will be maintained, T do not soo the difficulties which face you."
General Li is a small man with favor large head, a sharp, keen collect and fetching smile, Efficient, always dressed in foreign clothes, creates an atmosphere of a mod-fern governor, intent upon hig work and unwilling to become engrossed in the confusion of polities.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.