Wu vs. Chang

Dramatis Personae:

Tuchun Chi of Kiangsu, aggressor backed by the Peking Government and General Wu.

Tuchun Lu of Chekiang, defender of Shanghai, which is in Tuchun Chi's territory.

Military Commissioner Ho of Shanghai, relative of Tuchun Lu and engaged with him in defending Shanghai.

Super-Tuchun Wu of Chihli, Shantung and Honan, Kiangsu, Shansi, Shensi and Szechwan, greatest power in China, military sponsor of the Peking Government.

Super-Tuchun Chang of Manchuria, enemy of Tuchun Wu, who, two years ago, chased him from Peking.

President Tsao Kun of China. His political sympathies align him with General Chi and Super-General Wu.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen, President of South China, bitter enemy of Peking. The threatened war (TIME, Sept. 8) between Tuchuns Chi and Lu began. Much fighting took place in the sector which intervenes between Shanghai in the East and Lake Taihu in the West. The noise of the conflict was appalling, but the casualties were out of all proportion to the shots fired; for, according to observers, the Chinese were characteristically wasting ammunition by firing wildly, often pointing rifles and artillery pieces at the clear, blue sky. After all, it must not be forgotten that half a century ago the Chinese, although they had known gunpowder centuries before, fought with swords, poisoned spears and darts--and loud shouts. Their sole scientific weapon was the stinkbomb.

With all the furor of battle, no important results were achieved. Tuchun Chi started a propaganda service. In manifestos, delivered to Tuchun Lu's troops by airplane, Chi offered $50,000 to anyone who would hand over Lu dead or alive. A similar amount was offered to any officer who deserted Lu and brought his entire regiment over on his side. Twenty thousand dollars was the price to be paid, C. O. D., for each artillery gun or airplane; $1,000 was offered for machine guns; two months' pay was promised to each of Lu's deserting soldiers. Finally, the manifestos accused Lu of quot;crimes as big as Heaven," described him as a "murderer, robber, rebel, tyrant, accepter of bribes." On top of this, Chi told Lu's soldiers: "I sigh for you."

Two American women experienced a thrill and displayed great bravery. While the bombardment of the village of Liuho was in progress, Miss Grace T. Crandall, woman physician, and Miss Susie M. Burdick, both in charge of the Seventh Day Baptist Mission Hospital, nursed wounded Chinese soldiers, nor would they budge until an heroic Associated Press correspondent, amid a "rain of bullets," brought up a truck and moved women and patients to safety in Shanghai, some 15 miles away, which was guarded by foreign troops and warships.

At this stage of the war, news of grave import came to light. Despite denials that Tuchuns Wu and Chang would participate in the struggle, it became early established that Chang was financing Lu and that President Tsao Kun (and probably Tuchun Wu) was supporting Chi. On top of this came a declaration of war from Chang in shape of a 1,000-word tele gram from Mukden. Chang related a list of crimes committed by Tsao Kun and Wu. He swore to "rid the country of the people's traitors, thereby removing the obstacle to national peace and reviving the vitality of the people," and promised "for the sake of our nation" to "lead my army against them."

About the same time, Dr. Sun, "perpetual rebel," declared his inten tion of sending north a force to assist Tuchun Lu. The provisional line-up of the Tuchuns is Wu, Tsao Kun and Chi, swaying the provinces of Chihli, Honan, Shantung, Kiangsu, Szechwan, Shansi, Shensi and Kansu, against Chang, Sun, and Lu, who control the provinces in Manchuria and the provinces of Kwangtung and Chekiang. Much uncertainty was injected into the general situation by the unknown attitudes of the Tuchuns of the contiguous and intervening provinces of Fukien, Kiangsi, Anhui.

A more accurate idea of the strengths of Wu and Chang, who must now be regarded as the chief figures in the war, is to be obtained from an analysis of the areas and populations of their provinces and the provinces allied to them:

Wu: 653,890 sq. mi.

157,180,000 people.

Chang: 500,250 sq. mi.

50,390,000 people.

Recruiting was brisk. Gangs of soldiers armed with ropes and hand cuffs, scoured the country. All likely-looking Chinamen were roped for military duty and sent to the front. Conscientious objectors were hand cuffed and forced into the first line, where, from all accounts, they were relatively safe.

To ensure the safety of foreigners in Shanghai, the U. S. had 250 marines landed, Britain 360, Japan 400, Italy 100. Outside the harbor, an armada of 22 foreign warships was rocked by the sea.