The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-27
CHANG HSUN is
IMAM OF HOUR"
AMONG Chinese
Hold Powerful Club Over
Heads Of Picking Govern
ment, With His Army

Picking, Nov. 26-Genera1 Chang
Hsun is the man of the hour in China.
Members of all parties and factions
are keeping their eyes on the rugged
old warrior, who has control of the
| railway connecting Shanghai with
Picking, and holds the most important
strategic position in China.
Chang Hsun is the military COVER
nor of Anhwei province, and is sup
posed to live in that province togeth-
er with his powerful army. But An
hwei province is not located along
the important north and south rail-
way connecting Picking and Shanghai.
Consequently General Chang Hsun
has moved his forces to Hsuchowfu,
in Kiangsu province, where he COM
mands the railway and holds pow
erful club over the head of the Pek-
ing government, as well as over TIE
various factions which are endeavor-
ing to upset the present government.
Many prominent Chinese who de-
sire to travel from South China and
Shanghai to Peking are compelled to
make the trip from Shanghai to Tien-
tsin by sea-, as they dare not pass
through Hsuchowfu and run the risk
of falling into Chang Hsun's hands.
The conference of military leaders,
which General Chang Haun recently
held at Hsuchowfu, created a great
hubbub in political circles This
meeting was called for the purpose
of forestalling action on the part of
the parliamentarians unfavorable to
the military, and was a vital factor
in preventing Tang Shoa-yi's accept
ance Of the ministry Of foreign af-
fairs. The conference adpoted reHo-
lutions against the appointment of
Mr.. Tang Shoa-yi, and also reso1v-
ed against the endorsement of the
present minister of justice, Mr.. Chang
Yao-tseng. Parliamentarians rallied
against the Hsuchowfu conference,
and have adopted resolutions denun-
ciatory Of General Chang Hsun and
his associates, but the intrepid old
warrior has not been moved by any
such action and stern1y refused to
return to his post in Anhwei province.
Demands have been made by the
press and public for the punishment
of General Chang Hsun. He has been
denounced as military tyrant, who
is defying all organized authority in
China. However, the government is
apparently powerless to drive him out
of reconciliation has been adopted,
and he is mentioned as a probable
candidate for the vice presidency.
It is unlikely, however, that he
would accept the office Of vice-presi-
dent were it offered him on condi-
ton that he comes to Picking. He is
more powerful at .Hsuchowfu than
any other man in China, and has
shown no disposition to yield this adj
vantage.
General Chang Hsun is an old time
Chinese, who has been prominent in
military affairs for many years. He
first came into prominence in Szechu-
en- province, and was later comman
der-inchief in Kansu province. In
1911 he was commander-in-chief at
Marking when that city was attack
ed by the revolutionary forces, and
made a mastery retreat to the north
ern bank Of the Yang-tse river. He
then commandeered a large quantity
of the rolling stock Of the railway
between Marking and Ten-tein, and
made it a movable camp for his
forces He waged war in a barbarous
manner, but won great admiration
from military men by the wonderful
discipline he maintained among his
troops and the effective manner in
which he policed the railway. His
support Of the crumpling Mancnu
dynasty was very effective, and after
the republic was established it was
necessary for the Picking government
to reconcile him by giving him i'm
portant posts. He hos stout1y refus-
ed to accept any appointment which
would carry him away from the rail-
way which is the life blood of China,
and is building up a. great army
which is loyal to him rather than to
the central government.
i General Chang Hsun has stubborn
ly refused to have his queue cut 90,
| and all of his soldiers have followed
his example. Chang Hsun's troops
! are always referred to by the Chinese
further north as the pig-tail soldiers.
| They are notorious for their brutal
| ity, and are more feared than any
other troops in China
Calvin Burdge, a brother of Police
Commissioner Ralph Burdge of Lake
wood, N. j., was fatally shot while