Many Rumours in Peking that both Chibli and Fengtien are Getting Ready By Rodaey Gilbert, Peking, Sept. 13.
Rumours of an imminent fight between Wu Pei-fu and Chang Tso-lin persist in Peking, in spite the fact that the agents of both leaders not only deny that their own superiors contemplate a fight, but state also that their opponents. in such case, have nothing of the sort in mind. Half the local community seems to believe that Chang Tso-lin will descend. upon Chibli before the end of the autumn, the theory being that the Manchurian soldiers are inured to exposure in winter and will therefore have an advantage over Wu's men; the other half of the community looks forward to a Chihli invasion of Fengtien in the spring, The writer yesterday called upon Wu Pei-fu's personal representative in Peking and was told with great emphasis that Wu was not preparing to fight anyone, either now or in the spring and that he certainly would not fight Chang Tso-lin unless he were attacked—that is, unless Chang again invaded this province.
"And we have no reason to believe," said this agent, "that Chang is yet prepared for another campaign. He is making great military preparations, of course, but thay are not completed and he will not think of taking the offensive again unless he is very sure of his army in the first place, and very sure of his position in Manchuria in the second. Whatever he may. think of his army now, we have evidence to prove his position in Manchuria grows weaker every day and that he is conscious of it.
"Chang Tso-lin is now making anxious efforts to get an official appointment from the Peking Government—something to confirm him -his position. This in. itself is positive proof that he does not think his position secure. While he thought he was as strong as ever in Manchuria, he wanted no mandate from Peking to show his people, upon which to found a claim to the right to govern them. His strength was sufficient right. He now needs Peking's moral support to maintain his position, or he would not be-asking for it. He would be declaring his independence and loudly advertising the autonomy of Manchuria if he dared to. If we knew nothing of his failure to control Wu Tuchun in Heilungkiang, and if it were not evident from the daily papers that. the Hunghutze are beyond his control. and that he can no longer maintain order, we should feel confident enough that his strength is waning from his appeals for a Peking appointment." A
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.