The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-09-25
China s NeW Var
BY William Hiram Foulkes, D. D.,
LII. D., General Secretary of
'e sbyterlan Promotion.

IRE SDyCeE1an HrOmOClOH.
The stage is Get in Shanghai for a
significant struggle. 1t may not be de-
cisive. Few events in the Orient are
decisive 1t will none the less be far
reaching. 1t will surely involve the
United States and the European
powers. The visit of the Prince of
Wales may be full of social interest,
but it is toward Shanghai that
thoughtful Americans may we'll turn
their attention today.
The factors in the struggle include
immediate and more remote influences,
but all Of them vital. The technical
cause Of the struggle is the purpose of
General Chi Shien Yuan of the Prov
ince OF Kiangsu to wrest the control
of Shanghai from the hands of Gener-
al Lu Yung Hsiang, Governor of the
Province of Chekiang, Shanghai is
within the bounds of the Province of
Kiangsu, whose capitol is Marking, the
old southern capitol of China. 1t is
actually, within the control of the
province of Chekiang. The time has
seemed to be propitious for Governor
Chi to regain the possession of Shang-
hal, one of the greatest prizes in the
Orient.
In his effort to GUST General Lu
from the control of Shanghai, General
Chi has the open and able support of
General WI Pei Flu, of the Province of
Chilli, in which Picking is located. 1t
is no exaggeration to say that, the
movement of General Chi is really in
spired by General WI, who is the
ablest and most shrewd of all the
Chinese military governors, or Tue
huns, as they are called. Because Gen
eral WI has his seat in Picking or in
its immediate vicinage he has very
close relationships with the national
government of the Chinese Republic,
with President Tsao Kun at its head.
There is no particlar love lost between
General WI Pei Flu and President
Tsao Kun, but the former is, giving
his support to the frail and all but
nominal republic and in return re-
ceives it's backing as the nominal
Chinese power, the one, at least, with
which the foreign nations have deal
ing.
If, however, General WI Pei Flu,
aided and Allotted by President Tsao
Kun, is the real instigator of General
Chi's revolt against General Lu, two
other tremendous forces are arrayed
on the side of General Lu. One of
these is the daring resourceful chief
tain of the huge province of Man
churia, General Chang Tso Lin, one
of the most interesting characters of
modern times. He was once a bandit,
70
strange oriental process finally became
the governor of the province because
of his ability to defeat all other bandit
contenders for the provincial power.
General Chang Tso Lin was defeated
in his last contest with General WI
Pei Flu, who suddenly stopped just
short of decisive victory to the dis
comfiture of those who had hailed
him as the real saviour of China.
There are two reasons commonly
given for General WI Pei Fu's failure
to press his advantage upon General
Chang Tso Lin and to drive him from
power. The first reason is openly given,
namely, that General WI did not have
the men or the money to fight Gener-
al Chang in Manchuria, with its vast
areas and its bitter winter climate
It would have meant the humiliation
of his army if he had sent it up into
the frigid north, where General Chang
was SO deeply intrenched. The second
reason, which is merely whispered, is
in the magic word Nippon" 1t was
notorious that General Chang Tso Lin
was en- rapport with Japan. 1 saw
Japanese soldiers patrolling the rail-
road station platform in Shan-hai-
Kuan, on the very edge of Manchuria
and of Chilli. Indeed, no one in Man
churia, or in China for that matter,
denied that General Chang Tso Lin
was largely under japanese domino
ton.
The whispering about General .Wu's
failure to strike deathblow at Cen
eral Chang was not because people hest
tated to say that japan was behind
General Chang, but because there
widespread, persistent rumors that
General WI himself had come under
some sort of Japanese influence. Was
it fear, or force, or promises, or
finances? In any event, General WI
permitted his rival to escape. Now
that rival comes back to plague him