Directory_and_Chronicle_1936 — Page 401

CHINA

A21

a northern commander, perturbed the military authorities in Peking by his independent attitude on the Yangtsze. Having been stripped of his honours, he repented and proceeded to the "front" to achieve merit. Soon afterwards Wu Pei-fu, General Tsao Kun's lieutenant, developed into a pacifist. He memorialised the Government in favour of peace. He was repudiated by his superior, but it was felt that he had the support of President Feng Kuo-chang. Matters drifted for some months until the assembly of Parliament-called the "Tuchuns'" or "Bogus" Parliament-in Peking in August, and two months later this body practically unanimously elected Hsu Shih-chang President, than whom it was believed no one was better suited to reunite the country. His labours, however, towards reconcilation did not prove to be very successful, although foreign advice assisted the President. inasmuch as it alarmed the northern Tuchuns, who looked at one time as if they were again going to take charge of affairs. The Peiping Government and the Canton Military Government agreed to meet in conference, in Shanghai, to arrange a basis for peace. 1919 is the history of the failure of this conference, each side alleging that the other was insincere.

During 1918 a Bolshevik threat emanated from Siberia, but it was met by Allied intervention. Japan furnished a considerable proportion of the troops and found it necessary to take military measures in Manchuria which were not altogether pleasing to China.

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.

Upon the overthrow of the Kwangsi party by the Cantonese party in Kwang- tung towards the end of 1920, the President issued a mandate 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 Lok 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 compaign 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-ining, 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. General 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. This difficulty solved itself by the announcement made by the Inspector-General of Customs that there was no surplus revenue to