The New York herald., 1922-05-04
GEN. WI DRIVING
TOWARD TIENTSIN
Attacking Machang on Rail
road to South Where Chang's
Son Commands.
HEAVY SHELLS ALL FIRED
Manchurians Recapture Kuan
and Land Fresh Troops
i'm Shantung.

PEKrN, May ASSOCIATED Press) -
Gen. WI Pei-Fu, commander of the
Chill forces, was reported this evening
to have arrived near Machang, on the
railroad south of Tientsin. to take per-
sonal command of the operations against
the troops Of Chang Tso-ln on that
section of the battle front.
Late reports are to the effect that
Chang Tso-lin is heavIIy reinforcing his
troops In that region with men OF all
arms. and the indications are that Ma
chang soon will be the centre of in
tense fighting. Artillery duels already
have commenced over wide front. Gen.
Wu. II he actually takes command there.
will have facing him the twenty-five
year-old son of Chang Tso-lin.
Foreign military observers with the
Chill forces report that WI Pei-fu re-
Gently has been directing the operations
at Changsintien in an endeavor to get
good results out of Gen. Tsao Kun's poor
troops pending the arrival of Gen. Feng
Mustangs forces, which began to
reach Paoting-fu, on the railway south
of PelSin. Tuesday. The reports are to
the effect that WI Pei-fu's own troops
have not participated in the fighting at
Changsintien.
The heavy bombardment that has been
In progress at various points has de-
pleted the stores of big gun ammuni-
tion, and the fighting is now mainly
with machine guns and rifles. At some
places there has been lull in the
battle.
On the middle of the front the troops
of Chang Tso-Lin have recaptured Kuan
Wounded men from that region say the
fighting was heavy during the last few
days, often at close quarters. The tide
of battle was continually changing until
the arrival of Chang's reinforcements
turned the scales.
A dispatch received here from Tien-
tsin says reinforcements for Chang's
army near Machang detrained midway
between Pekin and Machang and
marched southwark toward the Hun
River, where fighting took plac on the
western bank of the stream. The Cab
met here announces that it has received
a message from the Governor of Shan
tung saying that 10000 Manchurian
soldiers had landed in Shantung. having
been transported from Manchuria by
sea.
Admiral Joseph Strauss, commander
of the American Asiatic fleet, accom-
panied by the naval attaches. visited the
front in the foothills west of PelSin to-
day. The artillery fire was observable
a few miles to the southwark. Columns
of smoke were rising from the town of
Changsintien in consequence Of an air.
plane bombardment there this morning
Trains of camels were seen carrying
munitions across the river. Evidence
observed of the five days OF fighting
were the carrying off the field OF
wounded and the burying of the dead.
The observers noted the carcases of
with cannon strapped to their
sides, having been killed while con-
veying the guns to the front.
TIENTsIN, China, May 3 (Associated
Press) The followers of Chang Tso-Lin
declare that Wu Pei-Fu was killed by
artillery fire to-day. 1t is reported that
Gen. Chang rewarded his troops with
half a million dollars and ordered a
general attack Immediately
No information other than favorable
to Chang Tso-Lin can be obtained here.
The Police Commissioner and Acting
Governor. who formerly professed neu-
trality, now openly espouse the cause
~ Cen Chang