Political Melee

Premier Chang Shao-Tseng and his Cabinet resigned. Reasons: a) bandit episode; b) lack of money.

Probable successors to Chang Chao-Tseng are those men with a complete understanding of western ideas and ideals: Dr. W. W. Yen, former Foreign Minister, Dr. Wellington Koo, Chinese delegate to every conference during the past five years and present acting Foreign Minister; Dr. C. T. Wang, a Christian leader, one time General Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. in China.

When the Shantung bandits shocked the world by capturing foreigners last month, the Diplomatic Corps in Peking did some plain speaking to the Government. Individual members of the Cabinet took it upon themselves to please the diplomats by attempting to free the foreign captives. Each had a different plan. The result was that the Cabinet split. Even the brusque message from Jacob Gould Schurman, United States Minister, to get on with the business of freeing prisoners and cease haggling, only served to widen the breaches in the Cabinet.

There is, however, another side to the cause of the Cabinet's fall. China, for a long time, has not been able to collect taxes outside of Peking. This situation, occasioned by the opposition of the Tuchuns, grew worse instead of better. The Government was unable to meet interest payments on national loans, the Army and Navy complained and mutinied on account of not being paid, Government officials have been without salaries and diplomatic and consular officials have been in the same plight for nearly a year.

On top of this there is antagonism between the President, Li Yuan-Hung and Marshal Tsao-Kun, Chihli Tuchun. Tsao-Kun has friends in Peking and it is no secret that he is out to get the Presidency. These plans of Tsao-Kun were naturally unfavorably received by General Wu, who generally, not always, supports the President. Then there was the arrival of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen in the South and his long-winded, long distance support of the Central Government (Peking). Dr. Sun agreed, however, to back Tsao-Kun for the Presidency; this brought him into opposition with General Wu, who never liked him anyway. General Wu then wrote to his friend General Shen Hung-Yung, Tuchun of Kwang-Tung province, and suggested a little war on Dr. Sun. This is still going on. Throughout the squabbles of the Tuchuns the Peking Government has been powerless to interfere and to collect taxes.