Arizona republican., 1922-06-12
FORMER HEAD
|0F CHINA To
AGAIN IA KE
PRESIDENCY
Ii Yuan Hung Who Was
Deposed By Militarists
Five Years Ago Resumes
Presidency of Republic

PEKING. June LII Yuan Hung,
who five years ago was forced out
of the presidency of China by the
nilitarists. arrived here today ana
resumed the post of the nations chief
executive. Lii came from Tlentsln
in response to the call of the revived
Republican parliament which recent
ly met there that he again assume
the direction of Cniha's affairs.
President Ii Yuan Hung issued ms
first mandate shortly after assuming
office today, appointing as premier
WI Ting Fang, former minister 70
the United states, and since l9ll one
of the strongest supporters OIL lHe
Canton governments struggle against
what it termed the militarism OF the
north.
1t is understood that DR.. WI TlnS
Fang has accepted the premiership.
In the meantime President Ii mas
designated DR.. w. w. Yen, foreign
minister under the last premier,
Liang Shih- VI, to act as premier un-
til DR.. Wu's arrival from Canton.
The unification Of China is de-
clared in official circles here to nave
been brought considerably nearer by
WI Ting Fang's acceptance OF the
premiership. 1t is asserted that Dr'
Sun Vat Sen, president of the repup-
lie of South China, in whose struc-
ture Wu has been consistent pliiaf
of strength, will be unable much
longer to maintain separate gov
ernment.
Proponents Of the reunited China
program count on WI to swing many
of Suns supporters to the new
Peking government, which already
has the backing of large bloc OF
the revived Republican parliament as
conqueror OF Chang Tso Lin and the
outstanding military figure of the
country.
1t is expected that in the near
future that members of the old Re-
publican cabinet resident in Canton
will come to Peking as the result OF
Wu's assumption of office at the
head of the cabinet.
Wu Ting Fang has been an active
enemy of the Peking government
since 1917. when Lii Yuan Hung was
forced out of the presidency by the
miiitarists and the Republican par
lament dissolved. At that time he
resigned the premiership to throw
the weight of his support into the
struggle of the southwestern PROV :
inces against the militarists OF the
north. He consistently has backed
the Canton governments battle Tor
the restoration of the Republican
parliament. a program which IS one
of President Ii Yuang Hung's most
prominent administrative planks.
1t is reported here that President
Ii obtained DIR. Wu's acceptance OF
the premiership before leaving Ilen-
tsin.
Lis return to the presidency was
sought by WI Pei-Fu. chief of Chi
mas military, as well as by the
revived Republican parliament, but
the elderly Chinese statesman de-
clared himself reluctant to leave his
retirement to re-enter the turDld
political seas at Peking-
On being importuned he said ne
would undertake the responsibility II
all the Tuchuns and the high inspect
inc commissioners would resign inn
mediately, accompanying him to
Peking to confer on the welfare OF
China.
1t was the Tuchun, or military
governor system, that brought about
the downfall of Lis presidency in
1917.
In an appeal to the Tuchuns, Ii
said: :.
Il am willing to sacrifice myself
but if this program be not adopted,
the extinction of the nation is before
our eyes. 1t is my inclination to stay
until death in Tientsin, my home.
T have no more desire to see the
people Of the world. / am old.
"What ambition l have is to see
reunion and 1 would lay down my
life to bring it about day earlier"