Directory_and_Chronicle_1929 — Page 599

CHINA

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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. In 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 Premie 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 stand in the vicinity of Shan-hai-kwan, but finally retired with the remnant of his army in his Manchurian fastnesses and succeeded in regaining his influence over the Three Eastern Provinces.

The war had the effect of changing the political outlook completely. The return to Constitutionalism was heralded. Hsu Shih-chang retired from the Presidency on June 11th, 1922, and Li Yuan-hung was persuaded the following day to become acting President, on receiving definite assurances from the military powers that they would support his demands for "swceping reforms" in the Chinese Army. These reforms included the disbandment of superfluous troops and "an absolute abolition of the Tuchunate system" as the "key to a thorough organisation of the country's finances." A great effort was made to secure the return to Peking of all the M.Ps. who were dismissed in 1917 and a date was fixed-August 1st-for the reconvocation of Parliament. The President soon had occasion to complain that the war lords had totally ignored their pledges to himself and the country. Twice, at least, he declared publicly that he would not submit to their dictation, which manifested itself over the appointment of provincial officials and brought about the resignation of two Cabinets as a protest. Yet, despite his brave words, Li Yuan Hung submitted. Finally, in June, 1923, he fled from Peking to the British Concession at Tientsn, though still claiming to be President. For some months after that the Cabinet continued the administration, until on October 5th Marshal Tsao Kun was elected Chief Executive by an overwhelming majority of the Electoral College, the necessary quorum being obtained, it is said, by bribery. At the same time the New Constitution was com- pleted and approved. In September, 1924, a war broke out between the provinces of Chekiang and Kiangsu, which led to the long-impending conflict between Wu Pei-fu and Chang Tso-lin, who entered the lists for the ostensible purpose of supporting the claims of their respective partisans. A very sanguinary battle was fought at Shanhai- kwan, in which the forces of Wu Pei-fu were badly defeated owing to the defection of Feng Yu-hsiang, "the Christian General," who commanded a large portion of Wu's army, which had been assigned to prevent Chang's march on the capital by way of Jehol. Instead of proceeding to Jehol, Feng waited until Wu had left Peking for the front and then turned back and seized the capital, without resistance, announcing that his action was taken in concert with Chang Tso-lin and a number of other military and civil leaders and was dictated by a desire to end the war, Chang Tso-lin speedily pushed on to Tientsin and easily became master of the situation in that vicinity. The Cabinet at Peking immediately resigned en bloc and Feng appointed another to take its place. Within a few days of this change he evicted the Manchu ex-Emperor from the Summer Palace, took possession, of the whole of the Forbidden City, and repudiated the Abdication agreement. This action, however, was strongly condemned by Tuan Chi-jui, who had been designated as the provisional Chief Execu- tive at the invitation of Chang Tso-lin_with the approval of the majority of the governing classes of China, including Wu Pei-fu and Sun Yat-sen, pending the establish- ment of a new form of constitutional government. The restrictions placed upon the ex-Emperor's movements being withdrawn, he sought and obtained sanctuary in the Japanese Legation.

China unsuccessfully appealed to the Paris Conference in 1919 to restore to her Kiaochow and Germany's other rights in Shantung, claimed by Japan under the Sino-Japanese Treaty of 1915. By way of protest, the Chinese delegates refused to