Evening star., 1922-06-19
GEN. WyS GRASP
0N.CH|NIA T|GH:|TENS |
With Chang and DR.. Sun
/ Routed, His Power Is
: Steadily Growing.
Rr the Associated Press.

by the AssOClateu fTess
PEKING. June 1s.-The grasp Of
wu Pei-Fu on the disturbed situa-
ton in China apparently was stronger
today than at any time since his de-
feat of Chang Tso-Lin, rebel super
tuchun of Manchuria, at the gates OF
Peking first brought him In promi-
nence as prospective strong man
of China"
DIR. Sun Vat Sen. principal opponent
of the Picking government. in whose
behalf Wu has been exercising his
admitted military genius, has fled
from Canton, where the Southern
Chinese government he headed Is
overthrown and Chen Chiung-M Ming.
who is favorable to WI, is in control.
In the north the leaders of Wu's
army on the southern Manchurian
front and the head of the forces of
Chang Tso-Lin in that region have
concluded a definite armistice, ac-
cording to advices from Chinwangtao
and already ChanG's Fengien troops
are withdrawing toward Mukden
much as Chang agreed they should
under the former armiStice he signed
with Wu and later broke. The armis-
tice. according to all available in
formation here, resulted from
meeting of the two commanders
aboard a British vessel at Chinwang-
<ao last Friday. There is nothing at
hand to indicate that it is entered
into anything but good faith on
Ghang's part. But if fighting is over
or apparently over. in the north, W.
still faces a determined, and. he has
believes that Sun holds himself
divinely appointed to reunite China,
and this belief finds support in the
fact that Sun, at last reports an exile
from his own capital and seeking
safety aboard a gunboat in Canton
Boats Shell Canton.
Five boats. under Suns leadership,
have shelled a part of Canton. The
dispatch reports the casualties as few,
because of the flight OF many in
habitants.
Sun, moreover, is waiting for the
remnants OF his defeated army to
rally 50 that he may attempt the
recapture of Canton. There has
been a battle at kianfu, loo miles
from Nanchang. capital Of the kt-
angst. and there have been clashes
elsewhere in that province, which Sun
has been anxious to conquer to sup
ply himself with a means OF access
10 the valley of the Yangtze.
Wu's 1900 troops at Nanchang
apparently are standing fast before
Suns beleaguering forces, and Chen
Chiung-Ming, at Canton, is showing
no disposition to accede to suns
representations for conciliation be-
tween them. Chen. formerly one OF
Suns chief military leaders, recent
ly adhered to the proposal of WI
that the old China parliament be
convoked to supply the country with
q constitutional government.
WI Ting fang n Factor.
Students OF Chinese affairs are specu-
iating on what, If any. influence DR.. WI
Ting-fang may be exerting on the sit
uation. Wu, who formerly was minis
ter at Washington, has 2 personal fol-
lowing which probably Is larger than
that of any other Chinese. Lii Yuan
Hung. on his restoration few days ago
20 the presidency. whence he was ousted
in 1917. asked Wu to become his pre-
mier. but Wa has not yet responded.
II Wu has taken any share in the
stiffening of Chen's opposition to DR..
Suns proposals. friends of the Peking
regime would find considerable comfort
IN the fact as evidence of growing sup
port of that administration in an inn
portant quarter. WI has been known
as leader in the Canton governments
fight for dissolution of the assertedly
unconstitutional regime of Hsu Snih-
Chang, now succeeded by that Of Lii
Suan-Hung.