Peking, Feb. 16, It is generally felt in Peking lat Marshal Hsiao Yao-nan's death bound to have a very important bearing upon the success of the campaign against the Kuominchun.
'Marshal Wu Pei-fu's position has een enormously strengthened General Chen Chia-mo's assumption' of control in Hankow and it is considered that Marshal Wu's resultant of Hupeh. When the Tuchunate was abolished by ex-President Tsao Kun, Hsieo was made Tuli. During the Chili-Fengtien war in 1921, Marshal Hsiao was made commander-in-chief of the Chihli relief forces. Then came the second war between Fengtien and Chihli, which resulted in the defeat of the latter party and the complete breaking up of Marshal Wu's army, as well og the imprisonment of the President, Marshal Tsao Kun, Although it was generally supposed that he would lose his position, Hsiao announced that. he was prepared to supper: Marchal Tuan Chi-jui if the latter uprecd to assume the post of Chief Executive. The result was that he maintained his position, but his title was again changed to that of Tupan of Hupeh with the concurrent past of Civil Go-
Supremacy in the Upper Yangtze region will certainly modify General Sun Chuan-fang's attitude, convineing the latter of the desirability fat least, remaining stu in the Hupeh-Honan conflict, does not ensure his smm operation with the Chihli group.
Tt would not be surprising if the death of the Hupeh Tupan did not} also mean the definite enrolment. under Marshal Wa Pei-fu's standard of various hitherto doubtful clements in Honan and elsewhere.
In connexion with General Cher Chia-mu's assumption of the Tupanship it is interesting to recall the circumstances in which, during last August, he was appointed commander-in-thief of the Hankow-
Wuchang Precautionary Fores. At} that time the pro-Wu leaders were] Known to be dissatisfied with Mar-skal Hsiao Yao-nan's vacillating attitude, and General Chen Chiao-mu's appointment was recognized in the direction of ousting Marsha! Hsiao from all bat nominal control. It was expected thay General Chen's greater popular among the Hupeh soldiery would increase the insecurity of the Tupan's position, and subsequent events justified this assumption, as General Chen Chine-mu steadily' extended his influence at Marshall expense.—Reuter's Pacific ice,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.