Both Ends Against the Middle

The Chinese civil wars, perennially a muddling since the fall of the Empire (1912), were fought with more than usual fury during the past fortnight.

In the north, the Pekingese forces of Super-Tuchuns Chang Tsolin and Wu Pei-fu pushed back the armies of Super-Tuchun Feng Yuhsiang through Nankow Pass to new and probably impregnable lines in southern Mongolia. Thus Peking was relieved temporarily of all fear of reconquest by Feng. The city, now definitely in the hands of Chang and Wu continued to suffer sporadic pillage and somewhat indiscriminate rapine from their exuberant soldiery.

In the south, the Bolshevist Cantonese Government launched a vigorous offensive against Hunan Province, a chief basic ally of Wu. He, co-victorious with Chang in the north, hastened 1,000 miles southward to defend what may loosely be called his "rear guard."

In Chehkiang Province, on the seacoast midway between Canton and Peking, the potent "rising Sun* of China" brooded last week whether to cast his lot with the Cantonese or Pekingese forces.

Wu (under whom Sun fought as a general only last year) and Chang have momentarily the upper hand in China. But what will happen in a year, a month, a week? Can Chang and Wu resist the great encircling movement financed by Soviet Russia, the teeth of which are Feng's armies in the north and the Cantonese Bolsheviks in the south?

Russia is playing both ends against the middle--and Sun is "bystanding" in the middle. He can strengthen the midriff of Chang and Wu or deliver there something like a solar plexus punch. During the week he listened, seemingly impassive, to bids and bribes from all quarters.

Super-Tuchun Feng, an ever wily and uncertain quantity whom Sun's judgment must evaluate, was reported last week still in Moscow dickering for more gold and guns. With these he may either play Russia's game or settle down to fortify his stronghold in Mongolia. That the Cantonese of the extreme South expect Bolshevik loyalty from Feng of the extreme North was proved last week when he was elected in absentia to a seat on the Executive Council of the Cantonese Soviet.

* General Sun Chuan-Feng (TIME, June 14) overlord of five provinces.