San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-14
Zsao Kun, Figure ofMystery
Found to Be AHable Host

brass belt buckle. almost three inches
square. 1t gaped informally on one
hook. Later when he picked up his
straw sombrero. Drowned by many
weeks sun. to have his picture taken
outdoors, somebody ventured the sug-
gestion that he had forgotten a neck.
tie. He laughed heartily, simulated
embarrassment and promptly Dor
from one of the party amusing the
spectators by his joking insistence
that he would never return it.
Holds His Age Well.
He might be mistaken for CON-
Portable, fatherly farmer. His we'll
preserved. vigorous body and his af-
fable, guileless face show that his 81
years have been Clearly lived and
that worries have passed lightly. When
he talks, he laughs heartily, good
natured wrinkles around his eyes
spreading to the top of his shaver
head. He says that he is not at ease
with strangers. His trait of friends;
ness is his greatest strength in China.
In a few minutes the embarrassment
disappears and the long mustache re.
ceives less caressing.
His personality shows. The mus
tache is distinctively un-Chinese. No
more than glance is needed to sec
that he is accustomed to command.
His voice seldom rises. but it is in.
to the point. With all their borders
of good-humored lines his eyes are
shrewd and they never waver. A uni
form is not necessary to show that
he is not of commerce or from the
soil. Every alert, positive movement
discloses that he is n soldier.
Marshal Tsao was only slightly in.
terested in national politncs. He was
ready for his usual afternoon in the
new park. 1913 acres of farm land
which he has purchased and is con-
verting into a public pleasure ground.
1t is present from him to Paoting-
flu. sort of monument to Marshal
Tsao after he is gone. Such luxury
for city which lacks the ordinary
cOnveniences of Life and with most
of its inhabitants livii z in squalor il
typically Chinese, Broad driveways,
artificial grottos, arbors with newly
planted vines. lake and fountain.
canals with pleasure boats. tea houses
and restaurants. zoo with wild ami
mails. theater. several private houses
for the marshal and his encourage. o
new railroad station with a concrete
viaduct and the ever-present high
brick wall surrounding it all. are com.
pleted. The marshal says that 200.
600 trees and shrubs have been plant.
ed, many by himself. A suggestion
that the ex-kaiser lacked such fore.
sight was not translated.
Has 3 Family.
The marshars eldest son, seven
years old Is years. Chinese reckoning)
left his two amahs (nurses) and ran
TO his fathers chair. The marshal was
fifty-five when this heir was born and
there have been other sons since. The
daughters are older. One of them is
married to General Chang Tso-lin
| Manchurian war-lord. The boy wanted
to see the zoo. The marshal obedient.
ly departed
Marshal Tsao was born in Taku in
1861. His family was one of the
poorest. Some insist that its boys
were coolies, which would indicate
that Marshal Tsao lacks the necessary
social standing to be president OF
China. While a young man he enlisted
in the Manchu army and by faithful
service and ability won the oppor-
tunity to 60 through the military AGA
DENY. Since then he has advanced
steadily until today he is China's
ranking military officer. Only a man
of ability beneath the quiet exterior
could rise by his own efforts from
such humble home t, such heights
If he continues on upward to the high.
est office in the country. though he
is China's foremost militarist. he also
will be president of the plain PEG
nIe