Tupan of Shantung and Representatives of Marshal Wu Pei-fu and Chihli Province: Honan Kuominchun in Full Retreat Tsingtao, Jan, 28.
"Arriving here at 5.30 last evening the Higo-Tsi Railway, Tupan Chang Chung-chang motored at once through heavily guarded streets them which all passers-by were rigidly excluded, to the Governor's anansion where representatives of Marshal Wu Pei-fu and Chang Tso-Jin, Generals Cheng Loh-shan and) Chang Chin-hui, respectively, had preceded him. The latter two ar-Fived only yesterday afternoon by} steamer from Shanghai, following, an important conference in that city.
'The visiting generals were guests of General Pi Shu-chen, commander naval and military' forces tern Shantung, at an elaborate dinner party and afterwards secret conference was held. Press men were not admitted, only the four generals and a very few aides and advisers participating.
The conference has been resumed Into this morning but still is] shrouded in mystery, although it foregone conclusion that it concerns the Fengtien-Chihli rapprockement and the part Shantung will play in the mighty offensive to smash the power of General Feng Yuhsiang and his Kuomin armies, Fengtien General for Wu Pei-fu 'A new and sensational turn in the Shantung situation within the! ast three days was the refusal of General Pi Shu-chen, "firebrand" it Shantung military circles, to. lead his troops against Chihli Party forces at Wutsung, midway between Yenchow and Tawenkou along the Tsinpu in Southwest Railway directly aided Marshal Chang Tso-
Tin Consequently Shantung military] circles are considerably agitated. Apparently General Pi's statements represent his convictions.
General Pi's refusal to lead his men against the Chili Party invaders was undoubtedly a strong! contributing factor towards the! patched-up truce between Generals Chang Chung-chang and Li Ching-lin, representing the Fengtien side, and. General Chin Yun-ao, Chihli leader, signed at Taian three days The trace further illustrates the sew policy of cooperation between the Fengtien and Chili parties. The signatories bind themselves undertake joint military _aetion against the Honan Kuominchuo. The latter forees, losing their ollies, began a hasty retreat through, southwest Shantung and are ported as having already crossed the border into Honan, itary Devastations Persons who have travelled re. cently through the Taian section routh of Tsinan along the Tsin-Pu Railway, declare that a deplorable condition exists there due to the prolonged military operations—in that district. Practically all the inhabitants have fled, their food] supplies have been appropriated. their homes occupied as barracks} ud not a single thing is visible but hare ground, All the trees and even the graax have been uprooted to provide fuel. The country thereabouts presents a scene of extreme Gosolation.—Reuter's Pacific Service.
The Mukden Conference Tsingtao, Jan, 29. declared that he would never take up arms against Marshal Wu Pei. fu or his troops. Such a declaration coming from a Fengtien ge eral was startling, indeed, doubly 40 after his surprising statement of a few days previously, in which he charged the Japanese with buying been responsible for the @efeat of Kuo Sung-lin in southern Manchuria, declaring the Japanese General Chang Tsung-chang, the /tupan of Shantung, has returned to Tsin General Chang Chin-hui lett for Mukden last night at the conclusion of an important conference with ference to a. Fengtien-Chikii alliance and the Shantung situation No details regarding this conte neo, however, have been revealed.
-Rueter's Pacific Service,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.