The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-19
, Bx EARL BROWDER.

Associated PreSS QlSpaCCneS from
Hongkong yesterday report labor
party uprising in Canton, headed by
General Chang Fat-fui. The general
referred to is undoubtedly Chang Fa-
Swei who left Hankow in the month
of July. The various alignments of
this general in the last few months
illustrate the extreme confusion now
existing in the Chinese Kuomintang.
Although it is not certain that the
Associated Press report is correct yet
it is certainly within the range of
possibility that General Chang would
be calling himself "labor" repre-
sentative, particularly if it might
help him win the battle of the mo-
ment.
Chang Fa-kwei was one of the or
iginal staff of the northern expedi-
ton that left Canton in July 1925.
He was in command of the Fifth
Army which rapidly gained the name
of "Iron Battalion" because of its
continuous victories. The Fifth Army
was largely recruited from labor and
Communist elements and Chang Fa-
kwei had the name of being a Com
munist, although he was not men,
Der of the Communist Party. At the
time of Chang Kai-shek's rebellion
in March, Chang Fa-kwei was one of
the first to denounce the traitor. In
July, however, when the Hankow gov
eminent turned to the right and the
Communists and left wingers MA
dam Sun Vat Sen, Eugene Chen, etc.
left the government and began to or
ganize the struggle against it, Chang
Fa-kwei joined in the denuncation of
the Communists.
In the July days when Hankow
first turned against the revolution,
they still considered it necessary to
keep a revolutionary mask before the
masses. For this purpose, they
promised the people an immediate
military expedition against Chang
Kai-shek, although they had just
adopted his policies. Because Chang
Fa-kwei had publicly supported their
new turn of policy, the Hankow gov
eminent entrusted this expedition to
him. With the Fifth Army he started
against Marking.
But he did not get any farther
down the Yangtse River than Kiuk-
lang, for when he arrived there news
had come of the Communist uprising
in Nanchang few hundred miles to
the south. 1t is rot definitely known
whether Hankow ordered Chang Fa-
kwei to change his course and march
against the Communists or whether he
did it on his own initiative. What is
sure is that he turned south from
Kiukiang instead of going on against
Chang Kai-shek.
from Nanchang over the border into
eastern Kwangtung Province. Chang
Fa-kwei was apparently pursuing
them. But he turned on to a differ
ent route and went to Canton in
stead Of marching against Swallow
which was held by the left wing. Can
ton was in the hands Of General Lii
Chi-sum who seized power there in
April simultaneously with Chang
Kai-shek's coup d'etat. General Lii
Chi-sum welcomed Chang Fa-kwei
and his army with public recep-
ton. They kissed one another and
vowed eternal friendship and solidar-
ity. Within three days, however,
Chang Fa-kwei had taken possession
Of strategic points in the city and
state of armed truce existed be-
tween his forces and those of General
Ii Chi-sum.
In the meantime the left wing arm
les left Swallow to march against Can
ton. 1t is now about six weeks since
we have received in America any de-
finite news about these armies. We
do know, however, that they have
been exerting considerable influence;
their presence outside Canton and
threatening that city explain the in
ternal changes that have been going
on in the Canton government.
When Chang Fa-kwei's army ap-
preached Canton from the north
while the left wing armies threatened