A week ago word was received jin Loyang that the conference of jail the military officials of Szechuan, which opened in Chengtu jabour two weeks ago, had broken jup without having evolved any policy or given any promise of peace {within the province. that recuperation should be very When the convention was called slow and this is being proved it was announced that it would last every day. Trade has only recovthree weeks or a month and that ered a very little and the river is: every local problem would be still very unsafe for boats carry- thoroughly threshed out on a basis ing any costly cargo. To be fired of reason and equity. Unfortumateon from the shore, or to be rather ly for the fate of the conference and suddenly visited by those who are' the peace of the province, the pro-not friends, if anchored at night, Vincial autonomy question came up is almost a constant occurrence. A almost at once and became the friend who came from Nanchang a subject of endless and futile debate few days ago as a passenger per because half the delegates were favour on a military boat related stubbornly in favour of provincial to me his experience. Every night autonomy while the other, half just when they anchored the guard was as stubbornly advocated immediate mounted and the rule was that reunion with Peking. The whole wherever they saw a light on the gathering finally broke up in despair bank, or wherever they heard loud of reaching a compromise and it is talking, they fired in. that direction now feared that there will be more without waiting for any further fighting. information. Anyone can imagine Of this General Yang Sun, the how dangerous it must be for' those defeated commander of the 2nd who have to be out on legitimate Szechuan Army, who has been re-business and whose homes are en organizing his 15,000 men in Hupeh the river bank. Until we get the and who has recently visited Lo-branch of the Bank of China re-yang to pledge his loyalty to the opened and also the cash shops, Central Government, is prepared to there will be but a small take advantage. Loyang now sees percentage of revival of trade. no hope for peace in Szechuan Some long tithe ago the provin-through either compromise or outside interference but is inclined to cial authorities thought fit to withhold the grants for education and think that the Szechuanese leaders the result was that the schools will have to settle their rivalries suffered very much. In this place by fighting to a finish, after which the Middle School was kept going it may be possible to do business for some time, but the military, with the victors. situation caused it to close early for the summer holidays, and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.