Norwich bulletin., 1920-11-06
M. .C. A. SECRETARY N CHINA VIHO6A NORWICH SUPPORTS SEES TUCRUIl' 5 MAR

R. W. Clack, Y. M. c. 4. secretary at Pao Ting Flu, a ChiEese city of 100000 inhabitants, who is supported in his work there by contributions of $1,200 made through the Norwich Young Mems Chris tian association, had the good fortune, by lucky chance, to be an eyewitness of the battle on July IS, when General Wu's army overthrow the army of the Chinese military party and secured the release of the president, who had been held in Peking by the military clique
 Through the courtesy of Frederick I. Nichols, secretary of research and infor- nation, international committee of the '. M. c. A, The Bulletin is able to give MT. Clack's own version Of the battle which is probably the first published ac count of the fight as seen by an outside observer
 The republican forces were known as the Chihli army and were commanded bv General Wu, who has been called the George Washington of modern Chinese history, while the military party's army was known as the Anfu and was sup- ported with money and equipment by Jap- anese influence. Its troops were paid sol diers, while those in the opposing army were largely volunteers, fighting with pa. tlotic spirit to save the Chinese republic
 TheTuchun's War.
 When the news came to Pao Ting Fu MT. Clack writes that the Anfu army was within reach of the city, the excitable Chinese population was on the verge of panic. He goes on to describe the events which immediately followed in what he calls the Tuchun's war He writes in part as follows:
 The American consul at Tientsin tele- graphed for all Americans to leave im- mediately but after discussing the sit nation thoroughly the few of us who had not yet gone on vacation decided to stay in order to help quiet the fears of the populace, to whom the flight of the American community would mean the verification of all the rumors.
 Raised Home Guard.
 The Commercial Club of the city | (which is the nearest approach to 8 board of aldermen a Chinese city hasl appointed a special committee of six tc act in the emergency and three others two of whom were Wang Tzu Yu, our president, and myself were selected jC represent the non-commercial interests We prepared for disorder by raising home guard of 500 men to suppleme" the police force and by equipping z number of buildings, one of which was 1 the Y. M c. A., with supplies of grain and with temporary defences so tha they could be used as refugees for the women and children in case of footing As one of the old merchants said, "rhe mutiny of the soldiers in 1912 caught II. ] absolutely unprepared to protect our selves We do not propose to be SC caught again."
 We had just gotten things nicely SC up and I was out of a job again, when 1 Major Philoon, military attache of tn American legation in Peking, arrived il one of the military cars from Tientsin, having been sent by Minister Crane t find out the Chihli end of the situation. As Governor Ts'ao had no proper plac to entertain a foreign guest, he asked m to take care of the major which of I course I was delighted to do Gen. WI promised that he could go to the iron as soon as the fighting commenced.
 After several days wait, on, Thursda July 18th General Wu gent word tha he was going to attack that afternoo and that the major and his interprete should come on the first train. Major Philoon had brought with him from Pc king a foreign educated Chinese to ac as interpreter but when the word cam to go to the front he Was suddenly talk en i'll and decided thatshe would not bt able to go. The major does not spea- Chinese, so had to have an interprete1 and I was very much delighted to ac cept his invitation to go with him in tha capacity.