Evening star., 1926-04-14

China, has clicked again, and this
time it is Wu Pei-Fu, having tasted
once the bitterness of defeat, who re-
coups and rakes in his winnings, to
hold them-how long?
News dispatches of the last few days
which recounted a quietly executed
and bloodless coup d'etat by WI Pei.
Flu, resulting in unseating the pro-
visional chief executive, Tuan-Chi Jul,
and the release from imprisonment of
the elected President whom Tuan su-
perseded, serve to emphasize the pecu-
liarities and complexities of the strug-
giles resulting from China's eternal
triangle"--or the efforts of three
powerful war lords, whose ambition it
has been to seize for their own selfish
ends the fruits of victory.
The success in the past few days
of Wu. and his regaining of the con-
troll he lost in 1924, were not entirely
unexpected. AS recently as two
ture was reproduced in The Star, and
the caption Identifying him said, "Wu
is expected to strike not later than
the Springtime, and perhaps earlier.
Strike he did, and now the interest
centers in his ability to hold his posi-
ton and consolidate it.
Deserted by Feng.
WI Pei-Fu, once supreme war lord
of China. was defeated two years ago
by Chang Tso-Lin, Manchurian war
lord. His defeat was made possible
by the desertion from his forces of
Feng Yu-Hsiang, the so-called Chris
tian General After Wu's defeat
Feng. with the backing of Soviet
Russia, and Chang, with the help of
Japan, held joint control of Peking,
each eying the other with suspicion
and preparing for the battle for future
sole supremacy, which conditions
seemed to render certain.
In the fighting of the last few
months, Chang was driven back into
Manchuria with his forces depleted.
He now holds Manchuria.
Feng, first remaining quiet in his
stronghold at Kalgan. in the hills
less than so miles northwest of Pc
king, fought the governor of the
Chilli province, in which Peking
and Tientsin are located, and after
heavy losses won through to Tient-
sin.
Then. leaving in control the gov
ernment which was overthrown n
few days ago, Feng faded from the
picture, so far as China proper is
concerned, for reasons best known TO
himself. Ostensibly. Feng decided
to withdraw very unselfish motive.
In a letter to one of his subordinate
generals, he declared:
Il have now won my victory In
ChihIi but that is the will of God
and not the power of man. l have
been successful. but l cannot enjoy
victories, for my heart is panied.
do not consider 1t merit or honorable.
1t is absolutely necessary that the
rulers of the country should concen-
trate their minds and energies on the
reconstruction of the country and
maintain peace and order for ever.
In the hope that civil wars may cease
in China, and in order that | might
have rest, / hereby announce that
| now resign from all offices that l
have hitherto undertaken, so that
the agitators of the country will not
have anything upon which to start
rumors of war or have a chance to
stir up new trouble in China"
Saw Handwriting On Wall.
Actually, however, and according to
the interpretations by some students
of the situation, Feng had seen the
handwriting on the wall. He lost
confidence in at least two of his sub
ordinates; he was held responsible for
the terrific losses sustained by his
forces in their Chihli campaign: his
minister of finance was unable to raise
sufficient funds, even by extortion
from the local bankers. for the sup
port Of his troops; his ammunition
was low, his supplies were becoming
exhausted and his position was un
tenable should Chang return.
So he departed for travel and
study" and some writer's prophesied
at this time that his subordinates
would work with Tuan-Chi Jul, grad
ually, perhaps. breaking the Russian
Soviet affiliations effected through
Feng, and perhaps bring about an
alliance with Mukden.
Feng left after paying compliments
all around and expressing his faith
in the ability of those he left in con
troll to carry on.
with reference to national affairs,
he wrote, 1.-The chief executive, Mar
shall Tuam-Chi Jul. is an highly hon
est and admirable person of great vir
tue and wide experience. Marshal WI
Peifu is highly educated and also OF
profound experience. They are per
sons of great ability and they are
highly to be recommended. They will
know, forget their party differences
and fight for their country and its wei
fare.
Unfit to Lead.
II, Yu-hsiang. am uncultured an6
inexperienced. I am unfit to lead my
soldiers or to govern any place. 1t Is
wiser that 1 should retire rather thar
be blamed by the people in future fol
faults committed through ignorance.
The elimination of Feng was hailed
| with qualification in some quarters
because Of the removal from the field
of at least one disturbing element
But there remained Chang, in Man