Evening star., 1936-08-30
GLORIOUS PE|P|NC
IS SLOWLY DYING
Once-Richest Oriental City
Losing Prestige and Lure
Under Japanese.
By the Associated Press.

BY the AAsociateo PreSS.
PEIPING, China, August 29.-This
city, once the greatest. richest and
most influential in the Orient, is
slowly dying.
Its one-time brilliancy, gayety and
lure are gone. This former seat Of
China's imperial glory Is virtually
abandoned by Americans and other
foreigners who have left the ancient
capital to the invasion of the Japa-
nese and the dwindling Chinese busi-
ness.
There are two primary reasons for
the blight Of Peiping. One Is the
steady infiltration of japanese SOL
diers and civilians and the apparent
intention Of Japan sooner or later to
take over the city in its plan for
military and economic control Of North
China.
The other Is the removal to Nam
king of the national government and
of almost all the foreign embassies
and legations, source in past decades
Of much of the city;s glamour.
Visitors Move On.
To be sure, some American and
other tourists still visit Peiping, but
as a rule they stag here only few
days or a week and then go on to
Japan or Soviet Russia. Formerly
many of them rented the numerous
quaint and comfortable Chinese houses
with their lovely moon gates" minia-
ture pagodas and attractive gardens.
BY employing Chinese servants. eat
ing occasional Chinese meals and by
keeping contact with different classes
of natives, these Americans and
travellers who lived in Chinese houses
got the real "feel" and spirit Of
China.
But today most American tourists
and visitors live in modern European
hotels. They seem content to catch
a glimpse Of China's Great Wall, Of
the famous Temple Of Heaven, the
abandoned Forbidden City (Which Is
now nothing more than q showplace),
Of the Summer palace, the Winter
palace, the Temple Of Confucius, or
to shop Q little in Jade street, Flower
street or Silver street.
"City written on"
TO stay Japan's hand in China and
to stem the decay Of Peiping. many
foreigners have suggested that Gen.
Chang Kai-Shek, Chtna's strong
man" and head Of the national gov
eminent. should move the capital back
to the Forbidden City where. with
the presence Of the great powers,
China might succeed in frustrating
Japan's plans for hegemony in North
China. Few others, however, seem to
favor such plan.
For the Ranking government. Peiping
now seems to have little Importance or
interest. except that it Is the seat Of
the so-called Hopei-Chahar political
council The government appears to
have written OF" Peiping and a great
part Of North China despite the coun-
Gil which Gen Chang Kai-Shek set up
late last year as a 'stop-gap" to OBJ
struct Japan's efforts to make an
autonomous region out OF five Of
China's northern provinces, including
Hopei, in which Peiping and Tientsin
are located.
The Nanking government. in fact,
appears to have written off, Peiping
and a great part Of North China as
definitely lost because the activities Of
the Japanese government and army
have left it little authority.
Politically, however. Peiping holds
considerable importance for the great
powers Not only have they substantial
property investments and military
garrison here, but also it is now the
real seat Of the Japanese military op-
erations in North China and Inner
Mongolia.
The powers, therefore. maintain
skeleton diplomatic staffs here to
watch developments despite the re-
moval Of most Of the big nations en-
bassies-except England's-to Nam
king.
Embassies Deter Japan.
The presence Of branch" embas-
sizes and legations. it is believed, has
deterring effect on Japan here. The
United States, England. France and
Italy still maintain considerable troops