Correspondence
[A LETTER FROM PEKING.] [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.?
Sia,—The aims of Chang Tso-Lin are still being pursued in spite of an unexpected attack on the capital by Yen Hsi-shan, governor of the Province of Shansi. That attack provided a very distinct threat to Peking because it was unexpected, but it has been disposed of, and the advance of the Ankuochun forces intent on the elimination of Feng Yu-hsiang continues.
There is no doubt that the attack on Peking was engineered by Ferig, who believes that getting someone else (in this case Yen Hsi-shan) to fight one's biggest enemy is the best defence against him. This, however, would not have been possible had not Yen harboured large ambitions. For sixteen years he has kept his model mountain-girt province free from the civil wars and disturbances which have devastated all other provinces. Shansi, with plenty of natural resources (it has the finest coal in the Far East), has, consequently, become exceedingly rich and prosperous. And its governor has become ambitious, and desires to dictate his policy from within the walls of Peking.
Hurried conferences in Peking led to a swift mobilization of all Ankuochun forces, and within five days 80,000 troops formed a formidable line outside the Nankow Pass, north of the Great Wall. A hundred thousand were rushed south- wards to meet the main Shansi advance and fighting there was fierce. Shansi were uniformly successful and pushed to within a few miles of Peking's lichened walls. But then the weight of Fengtien began to tell and, like a steam roller, went southward. A clever false retreat by centre columns drew in the Shansi army and an enveloping movement shattered the military force of Yen Hsi-shan, the slaughter being terrific. Now the Ankuochun are harrying the retreaters towards their mountain passes with every intention of entering the province and completely subduing it.
Shansi had arranged other tactics which failed to function at the critical moment. Raiding columns descended from the mountains, and for many days harried the Ankuochun lines of communication. Had the main Shansi army not been shattered, and had Feng come in with his thousands to attack, the effect on Ankuochun morale would have been disastrous ; but with the main army disposed of, and Feng sitting on his haunches in Honan, the alarm caused by the raids was almost nil, despite the fact that these flying columns came within three miles of Peking. Feng played a game he knows so well, sitting aside watching two armies fighting, in the belief that when they are exhausted he will remain the strongest of the three. However, he miscalculated the strength of the Ankuochun, which with a sufficient force to take Shansi entirely can yet spare the immense army of Chang Tsung-chang to eliminate Feng himself. Already Chang Tsung-chang is in Kaifeng and within sight of Chengchow, an important railway junction. in Honan. Feng is fighting what looks, from this distance, suspiciously like a rearguard action.
It is possible and probable that by the time this reaches Europe Shansi and Honan will be under the rule of the Dictator Chang Tso-lin and the Ankuochun will face military Nationalism along the banks of the Yangtse. This would probably do more to heal the many splits in the Nationalist party than anything else, for it will be faced with the need of immediate concerted action to preserve its very existence as a military and governmental force in China, south of the Yangtse.
Meantime Japan regards the rapid increase of Chang
Tsollin's power with grave concern. Controlling Manchuria and the northern half of China he will be a difficult man to manage from Tokyo. The feet that Chang Tso-sin can rip longer be regarded as the puppet of Japan, which he once certainly was, and the fact that Chiang Kai-sliek is being feted in Japan and may be coming back to control military Nationalism, are not without deep significance. Chiang is even called upon by the Japanese Minister of War, and his coming marriage into the Sun family will increase his prestige in China enormously. Japan's efforts to continue in possession of the key to China will be worth watching.—I am, Sir, October Alst. YOUR PEKING CORRESPONDENT.
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