Peiping, Dec. 6.
death of Marshal Wu Pei-fu, China's warrior-pact, of septicaemia following an emergency operation on December 4, is widely mourned by the local Chinese, He was immensely popular among his fellow-countrymen and it was for this reason that the: Japanese are said to have made repeated, but what appeared to have been entirely unsuccessful, efforts to enlist his support for the proposed new central government of China.
Undoubtedly, Marshal Wu would have had a large following, especially in North China, was one of China's most pieturesque warlords of the old days and was also one of the most slrong-Wille, It Is understood that he had repeatedly and adamantly retused to Sesocinie himself. with" Japanese efforts to form a now central government. in China, declaring "on every occasion that all he wanted to do was to live in retirement in Peiping. Only recently, it was rumoured here that hho had again refused to take a prominent part inthe proposed new government.
Might Have een Head Wu Pei-fu Refused Japanese Demands Peiping, Dec. 5.
Questioned at a press conference regarding reports that Marshal Wu Poi-fu, China's warrior poet, who died yesterday afternoon, had recent. ly refused @ Japanese demand to head the army of the "Provisional Government" of Peiping, a Jepanese spokesman said there was no truth in these: rumours.
"it was further rumoured that
Japanese efforts to set up Mr. Wan tie. avent ofthe lure, of, the Ghingswel as head of the proposed new government, an attempt would have been made to try to induce Mar-shat Wu Pols {0 take this post Since the beginning of the year, it was slated, Marshal. Wu had been repeatedly approached by the Japan-fern, On one" occasion, Mr. Wank Xeh-min, head of the "Provisional Government" of Peiping, Mr, Wang Ching-wel" and a high Japanese fffcer were said to have called at Marshal Wu's house, but he retused {ove hem onthe pretext that was"
Around Juno, "Marshal Wu was reported. to have agreed to render Mp" service 10. the. Jupanese-con-trotted regime. but again. refused feline support. His. attitude, all Along, ne been "regarded a5 un-
From reliable local sources, however, it is leamed the Marshal hed again tuned down requests to serve ina "puppet" organization, insisting that Japanese troops should be frst withdrawn from Chin.
He had been repeatedly approzched by the Japanese, bur adamantly Fefused to "ce-operate" in the new regime, Marshal Wu Pel-fu, it is learned, died between 4 pam, and 5 pin, yes: terday, following infection caused by extraction of a tooth. He was attended by a local German doctor who was present when the Marshal died. Immediately afterwards, it is understood, a cordon of Japanese gondarmes was thrown round the house, The Marshal's illness was mentioned for the frst time in the local Chinese-language press today, it be-Ing reported he pis attended by several local foreign and Chinese At the Dogitining of the year, according to local reports, the Japanese proposed. to set up Marshal Wu tone of the heads of the "Anti-Communist, National' Salvation Assoetation," giving him an army" of 400,000 Chinese, But his stock answer was said to have been: "First, Japanese troops must be. withdrawn, Tue Chinese National Government has voted a grant of $10,000 to ne lured for the funeral expenses Marshal Wu Pel-fu, the soldier-poet, who died In Peiping recently, says Chungking Chinese message to the gin Wan Pao,"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.