Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-30
CHINESE FIGHTING
ALONG WIDE FRONT
Admiral Declares Intent to
Support WI Against
Manchurians.
NATIVES FLEE TO PEKING
$50 American Bluejapksts and
Marines Arrive at Legation.
japanese Add to Guards.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated PresS.
PEKING. April 30.-Civil war in
China started Saturday with heavy
cannonading in the neighborhood OF
Picking. The armies of Gen. ChanG
Tso-Lin. military governor of Man
churia, and Gen. WI Pei-fa. military
leader of, central China. who are con-
tending for the mastery of China's
internal affairs. opened fire along
wide front.
As near as il is possible to estt-
mate, the front. extends from MA
chang. south of Tientsin. on the Pu-
kow railroad across the country
swestward to Pactingfu. on the PEEK
ing-Hankow railroad; thence horlh-
ward to Changsintien, twelve miles
southeast of Picking.
The hostitlties are said to have
been due to an uitimatum from Gen.
WI Pei-fu giving Chang Tso-in
twenty-four hours to evacuate Picking
and withdraw his troops from Muk-
den. The ultimatum was ignored,
Return - Picking.
Picking was awakened at DAY os
the sound of cannonading. when con-
tinued throughout the day. Foreign
residents who mounted the city wall
could hear the firing distinctly. FROM
the western hills outside the city.
where many summer homes are 10
Gated, the fighting at Changsintieh
was witnessed by numerous civilians.
Most of the foreigners returned TO
the city on the advice of the legations.
They were also advised to display
their national flags. and this was
done. particularly by the Americans.
Some of the city gates were closed
the authorities warned that all the
gates would be closed later IN the
day.
blueiackets and marines have arrived
TO reinforce the legation. The totai
number of guards at all the legations
is about 1000
Advices from Tsingtao and Sham
tung report that the japanese are re
inforcing their guards along tne
Shantung railway; these had recently
been decreased in number as resui.
of the Washington conference. me
American consul al Marking reports
that two Chinese cruisers In sSnpa-
thy with WI Pei-fu have aeparten
from Chefoo and are proceeding TOT
Shanhaikuan, near the Great Wall,
for the purpose of destroying the
railroad to Mukden. thus cutting
Chang Tso-iinS rear
Admiral to support WI.
The admiral of the Chinese fleet
has notified the government that IL
is his purpose to support WI Pei-fu.
In his messages he said: The reason
China is disunited may BE attr1huted
to the militarists. Chang Tso-iln
moved inside the Great Wall without
reason. Unless the Manchurians with
draw. we will use the fleet TO ex-
terminate Chang Tso-Gn."
This doubtless refers to the plan
to cut the railroad north of Sham
haiEuan.
Evidence of the feeling of the
Chinese in the outlying districts was
observable in Peking last night.
when thousands of natives entered
the western and southern gates,
carrying their va1uables to safety.
All kinds of vehicles came in loaded
with goods and accompanied by wom-
en- and children. Inside the gates
the Chinese transported their money
and jewelry to the bank in the le-
CATION confines.
The firing appeared to diminish
when darkness fell.