Peiping, Dee, 23.
The real status, powers or purpose of the new goverment here continties form n subject for speculation, previous article T referred 10 the upset in Tong-thought-out plans, when the Kwantung Army authorities calmly cut away Chahar and Sulyvan and Included them in the new Mongol Republic, This was bid enough. as IUeft General Dolhara's famous "Five Provinees" scheme high and dry. But that scheme was to receive its death-blow with the installation the Provisional Government for the whole of Chino, So little devs' this new arrangement seem to have been thought out. forehand, that only three days prior its proclamation, the police were going round the city' and tearing down All the posters that had been demand~ ing "so "vociferously a North China government. (Hun. Pel Kuoh) for the people of North China, "policy that had been proclaimed from the hhousotops for the last halt dozen years for 40, All this would searcely seem point to those deep-laid schemes er to that carefully thought-out policy of which we have been hearing so much, Indeed, it is being whispered snub rosa that the establishment of the now all-China government in Peiping was quite suddenly decided on and rushed through, marder to forestall similar action' by other military authorities. elsewhere, Remains Without " Mead Anyhow, the new government does not Tooke any more like a real gov ernment, than It did when frst proclaimed," Tt still remains without a head, The latest candidate mentioned for the post, is Mr, Hsii Shih-chang who was president of the Chinese, Republic from 1018 to 1922, As this worthy gentleman Is close on 80 years age, such a choice would appear to Indleaie that the Japanese are meet ing with considerable dimeully Anahng @ suitable person to take the job, Nor is this so very strange, In the first place, it is an open secret, and much commented on in certain Chinese circles, that the Tokyo Government—as distinct from the military tuithorities on the spot—has no. in~ tention whatsoever of giving de jure recognition 10 the now Peiping government, It is true that the crowd of eager oice-seekers here is os large fas always, when a new government formation, but then, i¢ things dia happen to go wrong, these people would get out from under on the plea that they were more subordinates who hind to obey orders. The bigger men, however, who stand to lose, not only their reputations, but oven possibly their, Neads, are asking for some pretence, at least, of a mandate from the people, before they definitely commit. themselves, Such popular endorsement has so far not been Feeble Response the contrary, when Mr, Pan Yue fail who, although only "Chiot of Police here, 15 one of the snoviny spirits in the new dispensation, proclaimed the new government from the {op of the T'len An Men through some very large loud-speakers, and called he listening crowd 10 give three cheers for it, his appeal met with a very feeble response. This is said, 10 have made avery bad impression "on fence. those who were sull sitting on the
For this reason a meeting, under Japanese sponsorship, was called the Huai Jon Tang"in the South Sea Park, for the purpose of forming new party, to" be catled the New Party (Hsin Min Hal). For some days previously motorcars had been traversing the eily and making propaganda for the new party, by distributing showers of handbitis with qlowing recount of its objects and intentions. This new popular party tu declare itself as the backers of tthe new government, the popular bests for which It has been looking. And thus, its hoped, the hesitations of the waverers will be solved, As with so many other new yovcernnments in Chia, this particular new government is already said to be in considerable ancial dimteulties, ie true that Mr, Wang, Ko-min, an ex iinistey of Finance and now head of the Administrative Commission, re~ cently read cut a statement {0 the foreign press to the effect that satis-aments had been made ili the Tientsin Customs. Adminis: Wation, whereby the funds and administration of the Tientsin and Chinwangiao Customs were to come under the complete control of the Many Disbanded Soldiers Meanwhile that portion of North China over which the Peiping government elaine de facto control shows ho signs of settling down, The Japan zo Just hold the railway lines and the larger towns, and beyond that the writ of the new Rovernment ceases run, Hopel Is swarming with dis-handed soldiers, bandits and Srredulers, oF whatever one kes to call them, So-chiled Red forces have penetrated through the mountain country west of the Peiping-Hankow Railway, from where they make raids fon the villages in the plains, carrying off all the young men between seven teen and 25, a form of foreed con- Kiyoshi scription. There has been a great exodus from the, villages In the plain between the bille and the railway, the unfortunate villagers are groun between the upper and nether mill~ stones. In. the course.of their raids the irregulars have occasionally cut up isolated Japanese posts, for which the Japanese take revenge by burning the surrounding villages, in the northern half of Shansi, which is all that the Japanese hold 30. far, this hold Is very precarious fand confined to the larger towns and fo the Chen-Tai Railway. According certain foreigners Just, returned from those paris many of the towns and dozens of villages have been com: pletely destroyed during the Japanese advance, while even Talyuantu itself Sulfered very severely indeed and still shows not the slightest signs of refeovery. In the mountain districts to the north and cast of Taiyuanfu the sorealled Red forces hold undisputed Sway, with the famous monastery of Wulaishan as their headquarters. According to the statements of monks who have returned from there, they have not interfered with the monasteries in any way, And the same applies to the mission-stations lying in their districts. But the Tafyuantu-'Tatung motor road is subject to their constant attacks, and this line of Japanese communications lo being constantly interrupted.
Mongolian Plateaw Peaceful According 4o other foreign travel-lors recently returned from Suiyuan Jand Inner "Mongolia, everything is quite peaceful in the towns along the Suiyuan railway and on the Mon sau to the north, The greater part of the Kwangtung Army orees have been withdrawn to Man~ choulauo, and only the towns along the railway are garrisoned by 9 few hundred. Japanese troops. rail way which could be cut so easily is held by shoestrings, 20 to say, and the Japanese themselves admit that they would not be able to take such risks against. any other enemy but the Chinese. The country Is held by Mongol cavalry with a stiffening of /Manchoukuo troops, 'Despite all the talk of Japanese schemes 19 cut off China completely from Soviet influence on the nort their control does not extend one mile outside Potow, the terminus of the railway, And even there they are Subject' to constant alarms, the city faales being closed for days on end, while Saratsi which Iles to the south Jor the railway between Kuelhua and. Potow is reported to have been occupied by Red forces. These latter have their headquarters at Hech to the southeast, on the Yellow River.
'Wuyumn, west of Potow, and north of the great bend In the Yellow River. fs held by Ma Chung-ying with a force of about 10,000 Mohammedans. Ma' was formerly. in constant rebel-Hon against the Sinkiang authorities, juntit he was finally defeated and had seek refuge in Russia. He now appears to have joined hands again with The Chinese Government. Another old friend to be found in these parts Ma Chan-shan, of Manchurian fame. He holds the Ordos country, south of the Yellow River bend, will an in-Aeterminate body of mounted troops. 'Although these various Chinese forces are at present inewpable of taking the offensive owing to the usual lack of ce-operation and to the lack of proper farinament, nevertheless their presence in' those regions has prevented the Mongol prinees of the. Ordos country Jand of Western Mongolia from joining the " recently established "Inner Mongolian Republic.
Altogether, the Japanese hold in those parts seems to be very much less secure than one had been led to expect, Except for a few ambitious prinees, the bull of Mongol opinion appears tobe openly hostile to the Snpanese, They were quite prepared Tovavail themselves of Japanese assistance in order {0 obtain their independence from, China, but any demands on their loyalty beyond that might lead to serious trouble.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.