Directory_and_Chronicle_1924 — Page 645

CHINA

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A very serious famine, involving some thirty million people in suffering, occurred in the North-principally in the provinces of Honan, Shantung, and Chihli-in 1920 owing to drought and the consequent failure of the crops. For the relief of the distress thus caused, a surtax of ten per cent. on Customs Import duties was agreed to by the Powers for the period of twelve months and this took effect in 1921. This famine also brought into existence international famine relief committees who initiated constructive schemes for the relief of the sufferers. Much good work in connection with conservancy was done by this means. The American Red Cross was also active. Its report dated June 30th, 1921, shewed that under its auspices 985 miles of road had been laid out and 648 miles completed. Most of these organisations. maintained their work throughout 1921, when China was visited by floods.

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Upon the overthrow of the Kwangsi party by the Cantonese party in Kwang- tung towards the end of 1920, the President issued a niandate proclaiming the restoration of peace and the unification of the country. This mandate, however, was repudiated by Sun Yat-sen, Wu Ting-fang and other leaders of the Consti- tutional party, who proceeded to Canton, where they re-established the Military Government and, in the early part of 1921, Dr. Sun was elected by his followers at Canton "President of China," although at that time his authority did not extend beyond the province of Kwangtung. Later in the year a successful expedition was launched against General Luk Wing-ting-formerly the chief commander of the military forces supporting the Constitutionalist cause in South China-and his followers, who were obliged to relinquish their hold on Kwangsi. Encouraged by this, Dr. Sun, towards the end of the year, initiated a campaign for the conquest of the North. This much advertised "punitive" expedition, however, beyond embroiling Kiangsi in internecine warfare during the summer of 1922, never got within a thousand miles of Peking. Dr. Sun gradually declined in influence, and in 1922 his relations with his principal lieutenant, General Chen Chiung ming, the Military Governor of Kwangtung Province, steadily cooled until the latter, exasperated by Sun Yat-sen's follies (his military agreement with Chang Tso-lin being the most noteworthy) turned on him and caused his flight from Canton in a British warship (H.M.S. Moorhen) in June, 1922. Gen. Chen's ascendancy, however, was short-lived. With the aid of Kwangsi and Yunnanese forces, Sun Yat-sen regained control of the Province in the Spring of 1923, and forced his former lieutenant to withdraw to his native city of Weichow, whence, however, he was unable to dislodge him. From time to time, reports were circulated that the city had been taken, but these proved to be false, and towards the end of the year Chen's troops were threatening Canton. In the meantime Sun's régime had become unpopular with all classes in Canton owing to the conscrip- tion both of labour and of wealth to meet its military needs. In December an Allied Naval force assembled in the Canton River in consequence of a threat by Dr. Sun to seize the Customs revenue of Kwangtung so that it should not be used to finance Northern operations against him.

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Important political changes took place in the North during 1920, the Chihli forces, under Chang Tso-lin, marching on Peking and, after some fighting, putting 10 flight the leaders of the Anfu party who were directing the Government. This step was followed by the reconstruction of the Cabinet. Hostilities took place throughout 1921 in the upper Yangtsze region, arising out of a provincial independence movement in the province of Hunan that extended to the province of Hupeh. A Northern force, under General Wu Pei-fu, was despatched to Hupeh and drove out the invaders, whose territory, in turn, was threatened, unless they abandoned their attitude of revolt. the warfare much damage was done to foreign property at Ichang, and it was necessary for foreign warships to intervene actively for its protection. During the winter months of 1921-1922 there was much political trouble in Peking, both the Manchurian Tuchun, General Chang Tso-lin, and Wu Pei-fu dictating to the Government what it should do. Affairs worked up to a crisis when Liang Shih-yi was made Premier on Christmas Day, 1921, and Wu Pei-fu became exceedingly wrathful with the new Administration. Chang Tso-lin replied to Wu Pei-fu's threats against Peking by moving his troops inside the Great Wall and distributing them along the Peking-Mukden Railway and for a short distance down the Tientsin- Pukow Railway. The climax occurred on April 28th, 1922. The rival forces collided in the neighbourhood of Machang, on the Tientsin-Pukow line, and instantly hostilities commenced on a hundred-mile front which stretched from Machang to Changsintien, 18 miles below Peking. The fighting only lasted a week, Wu Pei-fu's men routing the Fengtien troops completely. Chang Tso-lin afterwards made a

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