Kai-shek suddenly resigned. He came to Shanghai on the following. day and then retired to his native village, Fenhua near Ningpo, where he cut himself off from all connection with polities for the time ig. There were numerous causes for General Chiang's resignation, not the least important of which between Nanking possible as long General Chiang remained at the head of the Nanking Government. The consent sus of opinion in the Kuomintang was that as Borodin had gone and as the quarrel between Hankow and Nanking: was largely over the ques: tion of Borodin. and. Chiang Ka hok, it would be advantageous if he also' went. A further" difficulty arose over the question of the Kuangsi a1 Kuangtung troops fighting against each other, when such fighting could. only' bring advantage to the Northerners and destroy the influence of the Kuomintang. The Northerners had captured Pengpu and were making, rapid progress along the Tientsin-Pukow Railway towards Pukow. Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang, who was alliance with the Nanking Government and particularly with Genral Chiang Kai-shek, raised not finger to save Nanking from su'fering a crushing defeat at the hands of Marshal Sun Chuan-fang's troops. Finally, there was opposition to the conduct of affairs in Shanghai, where responsible people were being kidnapped and made to suffer on the pretext of a communist suppression campaign which was being conduetmilitary representatives in this There was considerable disappoint ment among the people that the Kuomintang regime at Nanking had not brought them greater benefits. Then there was a desire to unite all factions of the Party, and. that indicated a necessity to omit from Kuomintang affairs the "Ningpo" entourage who then beset General Chiang Kai-shek, 'When Chiang resigned, Messrs. Hu Han-min, Tsai Yuan-pei, Wu 'Tee-hui, Li Chih-song and Chang Ching-kiang also resigned. These politicians "addressed a sarcastic letter to Marshal Feng Yuhisang. explaining their action and why' they could not attend Marshal Feng's proposed conferences must be pointed out that Chiang Kai-shek gained considerable personal glory by resigning, which members. It act of personal sel unity of the Kuomintang and considerably served him when the tin came for his reinstatement. Con trol in Nanking remained with the Kuangsi militarists, particulary Generals Li Chung-jen and Chang-hsi, who was in charge affairs in Shanghai, The various ministers appointed by the Nanking. Government re their posts which made it possible for the Government to continue uninterrupted.
On August 17 it was reported that a British aeroplane had been foreed to land in Kiangwan and had been seized by the Chinese military authorities after they had removed parts of the plane. Negotiations were entered into to have. the aeroplane returned to the British authorities, but the Chinese refused, whereupon' the British " military, authorities issued an ultimatum to the Chinese that unless the plane was returned at a certain hour, they would take" action. Final:
they denied the use the Shanghai-Hangchow Railway—to the "Chinese, cutting off—communications between Lungua and Nanking by pulling up a section of the line at Jessfield, This had the required result and on August 19 the aeroplane was returned by the local Chinese military authorities without the knowledge of the Nationalist Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, thus indicating the Inck of harmony amongst Nationalist Gov-emmental agencies, At this time, the Nationalists were losing territory in northern Kinngsu constantly and were retreating to the south bank of the Yangtze both at Nanking and Chingkiang. On August 17, the Northern armies "under Marshal Sun Chuan-fang were actually in control of Pukow and were sporadic cally bombarding Nanking, pai cularly the suburb of ffsiakuan, The Chinese navy, upon which Nanking was depending to defend inactive. General was now in command of the Nationalist troops in Nanking and the whole of southern Kiang-which were loyal Kai-shek, might utilize this occasion to declare for him at Shanghai. On the follow-day, a northern aeroplane aetually flew over Nanking. The plan of the Nanking Government was to defend both Nanking and Chingkiang, while Marshal Sun undoubtedly stake sal fortunes on this, and it was assumed that the disunion in the Koumintang and the apparent weakness of the Nanking militarists would make his victory inevitable. On the other hand, Marshal Chang Tso-in was known to be doubtful about the success of this effort, for Marshall Sun was leaving his rear unprotected, and if Marshal Feng Vu-hsiang attempted to cut him off, he might find himself in a very delicate situation, Martial law was declared in the Shanghai are General Pei Chung-hsi, a Kuangsi leader, was appointed Defence Commissioner; while General Yang Hu and Mr. Chen Chun, who ed so unpopular with the Shanghai Chinese, disappeared from the scene altogether, not to return during the year.
While these preparations were taking place, in Hankow, Wang Ching-wei, Tang-Yen-kai and Sun Fo were entering into negotiations with Nanking for union of both Governments, and telegraphed to Dr, C, C. Wu to come to Kuikiang to meet them. The Nanking Government had already entered into negotiations with the Western Hills, Conference group to join in a reorganized government. This group had been driven out of the Kuomintang by Comrade Borodin and General Chiang Kai-shek and their return would definitely indicate complete break with the pro-Ru Sian policy. The fact that the civilians in Hankow requested Dr. ©, ©. Wu to come to them for peace, indicated a willingness on theft part to join with the West-em Hills Conference group, ao Dr. 'Wu was known to be pledged to support the conservatives. Tt was Known that General Tang Song-chi was opposed to the union and partiularly' to the Western Hills' Conference Group; for on August 24, nis armies had taken possession of Wahu and had expelled from that city all the officials appointed by the Nanking, Government, On August 21, Woosung Forts were bombarded by the Northern fect although no damage was done, and within a few days, the North: fern troops under Marshal "Sun Chuan-fang began to cross to the south bank of the River, On the 20th, they reached the lower part fof the Meltze Delta under a fog and captured the Wulungshan forts, On the same day, General Poi Chung-list and Mfr. TV, Soong left Shanghai for Nanking to help to establish mew government there, but their train could go on further than 'Wasth. Meanwhile. Shanghat was being held by General Chow Fong-chi's 26th Army, whose loyalty' to the Nanking Government uncertain. The Shanghaltanking Railway was cut at. A ting and on August 27, Marshal Sun Chuan-fang's troops crossed the Yangtze near Lungtan, where the decisive battle of this camp-ign and one of the most important recent Chinese history was fought. Marshal Sun effected the dificult crossing without intorference, the Chinese navy being. in effect neutral "by "inaction. Lungtan he met the Ist and '7th armies and almost defeated them, but, in the end ho. was driven back, Tt has been variously estimated—by" both side that Marshal Son Chuan-fang in th battle ost from 20,000" to 30,- 000 rifles and men, this woukening his military and political posi tion for the remainder of the your, The defeat of Marshal Sun con diorably strengthened the position of the Kuangai militarists and the civilians of the Kuomintang, as they were able to point to a mil tary victory without the assistance of cither the Russians or General Chiang Kai-shek, while it also made peace between Nanking and Hankow more likely. During the fight ing, foreign vessels were fired upon from both banks of the river and the men-of-war had to fire back upon the shore to protect shipping Tt was while this fighting was actually taking place, that Dr, Wu returned: from Kiukiang with reports that the union between Nanking and Hankow had been ffectod, although General Tang: Song-chi's position was doubtful. Dr. Wu had alrendy announced that the entire Nationalist programme of taxation which has already been discussed in these columns and which was to have gone into effect fon September 1, was indefinitely postponed. On September 4, Mes sre, Sun Fo and) Tan. Yen arrived in Shanghai, while Mr. Wang Ching-wel remained in Nan-King for some days, Conferences wore immediately begun for the organization of the new government. On September 8, Marshal Sun Chuan-fang began his retreat northward, eventually reaching Shantung, where he made his headquarters for the remainder of the year. Meanwhile, Nanking wi nessed one of the worst cholera plagues ever known in those parts. The missionaries who had been driven out of Nationalist. territory could do nothing to stem—thi plague, while the hospitals in Nai king and other southern cities w being used as barracks fort troops. This plague raged until the cold weather set in, (To be Continued)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.