The New York herald., 1922-05-01
NORTH And SOUTH
BATTLE FOR PEKIN
Continued from First Page.

Washington to send another warship to
Tientsin.
The fighting Sunday was sporadic
throughout the war area. There were no
signal gains by either side. The most
persistent conflict appeared TO be CEN
tered around Changsintien. southwest of
the Pekin wall, where Wu Pei Flu Is con-
centrating for a drive in an attempt 20
turn Chang Tso-lins western front
toward Tientsin.
Chang Tso-lin's forces. according to
native reports. occupy the village cf
Changsintien, where 100 wounded have
been taken into the houses of natives.
Some of the wounded in the fighting
have been brought to hospitals in Peixin.
The dead We're left on the battlefield
Reliable details as to the casualties are
not obtainable, because the Chinese are
keeping no record OF them.
The military situation Sunday as
gathered from legation attaches here Is
as follows: Chang Tso-lin and Wu Pei
Flu each has $4,000 men under fire or
in position. WI Pei Flu is bringing up
reinforcements from the Yang-tse prov
inces. Chang Tso-lin is sending forces
from Mukden, which soon will increase
the total effectiveS to more than 100 600
on each side.
running from Mukden through Tientsin
to Pekin. but is holding reserves to pro-
tect his rear, fearing an attempt by the
Chinese navy to destroy the railroad
north of the Great Wall. His line ex-
tends south to Machang.
Wu Pei Flu appears to be master Of
the Pekin-Hankow Railroad TO Chang
sintien. Midway between the railroads
flows the Hun River. Chang Tso-lin has
thrown troops and artillery across 70 the
western bank of the river, with the rur-
pose OF driving WI Pei Flu southwark
and surrounding WI Pei Fu's headauar-
ters at Paotingfu.
WI Pei Full is pushing his front east
ward, apparently with the intention of
forcing Chang Tso-lin to retreat over the
river. which is filed with marshes and
quicksand. Altogether the view is that
the fightinS thus far is Of q preliminary
character and that greater conflicts will
come when the full strength of the op-
posing armies is attained.
The diplomatic body in Pekin met to-
cay at the residence of the Portuguese
Minister to discuss precautionary meas
ures. 1t was decided to await replies
20 the notes the diplomatic corps handed
tie Chinese Foreign Office last week.
which warned the Government against
fighting in Pekin.
The commanders of the allied troops
of Tientsin report they are ready to
seize the Pekin-Tientsin Railroad ff
t. aflic is interrupted. The American Le-
cation has suggested to the Washington
Government that all additional gunboat
bc sent to Tientsin. The French cruiser
Craonne has arrived at Tientsin
The resident of Pelsin feel safe, not
withstanding the booming of cannon
heard from the direction of Cnangsin.
ten. The gates of the city here are
heavily guarded They are being Kept
open, but it is expected they will b.
closed in the event of any indication of
rush toward Pekin by defeated troops
| The foreign legations, foreign business
| houses and institutions like the Ameri-
| can Board of Missions, the Rockefeller
( Institute and the American Mission ar
| fly ing the flags of their respective ma
tons conspicuously. The streets of Pc
kin to-day were unusually animated with
| picturesque confusion among the people
OF many nations and vehicles and ami
mails. Frequently stretchers borne by
coolies were to be seen passing through
the streets with wounded from the fight
| ing zone. Camels, carts and automo-
bi.es are being pressed into service to
move valuables to places of safety.
Even the rickshaw coolies carried for
cigE flags to-day, as notice to patrons
Il at they were immune from attack
The narrow thoroughfares of the Chi
nese section of the city were crowded
with natives. standing in silence, appar-
| ently dumfounded by reason OF the dis
tant thunder of artillery. The usual
haunts of the tourist were deserted
Most of the visitors to the city departed
before the hostilities began, The Amcrl-
can Legation here has requested th,
American Ambassador in Toxic not to
permit Americans desiring to come to
Pekin to travel by way of Mukden. This
is the only railroad on which traffic has
rot been suspended.
Visitors from the vicinity of the bat
tiefield outside Pekin report that tho
| fighting to-day was obscured by sand
storm. Chang Tso-lin's troops are in
position on the western foothills, from
which they are firing southwark. The
visitors asserted that the wounded are
not receiving proper surgical treatment
on account of insufficient equipment.
During the fighting the Wu Pei Flu
forces flew airplanes over the fghtirs
line, dropping proclamations which de-
nIunced Chang Tso-ln as q monarchis:
ard former bandit.