CO129-497 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 234

DI

1

benden hat a

To: Zavod ab....

.BTO. -

PATOL

.c JICL loinde eTİL AN EL

JU DIN

.......

I

00

ta.

ini

5.

.....

2312.

complete charge of the City of Peking with all its railway, telephonic and telegraphic communications, and announced his determination to put a stop to hostilities. The Central Government had to all intents and purposes ceased to exist and all power was centred in Feng and his deputies. A desperate battle was fought under the Great Wall, but Wu, weakened by Feng's defection, could not maintain his position. His troops were overwhelmed and he himself was forced to slip away by sea and take refuge in Hankow. Meanwhile a new premier and a new Cabinet were appointed, Tsao Kun being permitted to resign but kept under confinement, and the Boy Emperor

was expelled from the Palace. Tuan Chi Jui with the approval of both Chang Tso Lin and Feng Yu Hsiang was made the 'Provisional Chief Executive' of the Peking Government, a position which he does not want but still

continues to hold.

Although Feng had got together a large

fighting force known as the Kuominchun or People's Army,

consisting largely of Christians, the position taken up by the victorious Chang astride the railways connecting the capital with the ports of North and Central China

placed him at a serious disadvantage in respect of

supplies and minitions of war. In his predicament

he turned to Soviet Russia, entering as a quid pro quo

for the supply of munitions into a secret treaty the

effect of which would be to give the Reds a secure

footing in the very capital of China and also

establish them firmly in the new Dominions (Sinklang).

When the stage was set, Feng began his movement to

rid himself of Chang Tso Lin.

The elimination of Marshal Chang Tso Lin

was