DICTATOR OF MANCHURIA

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1929, Page 8

DICTATOR OF MANCHURIA

MOST POWERFUL MAN IN CHINA. (By Sir PERCIVAL PHILLIPS.) AIURKDEN, (Manchuria), Sept. 2. “There will be no war with Russia unless Russia attacks us,” said Marshall Chang Hsuch-liang, the 28-year-old Dictator of Manchuria, in an interview at his summer villa at Peling, on the outskirts of Mukden. “We are ready to return to the stat us defined by the aggrement for the ad ministration of the Chinese Eastern Railway when Moscow gives satisfactory guarantees that she will abstain in future from meddling in the internal affairs of Manchuria. “The Central Government of China has a broader view of the question of a settlement, and I foresee an ultimate conference of delegates of the Powers for recasting the agreement itself, as well as the adjustment of other outstanding issues between us.” THE YOUNG DICTATOR. The young generalissimo discussed the present crisis and its causes with marked restraint and extreme lucidity his attitude in general being almost conciliatory. He is an interesting personality this slender young man, who possesses more power in China at present than any other one man, -not even excepting Chiang Kai-shek, the President of the National Government.

He can be ruthless, as he showed when, without a tremor be sent one of the most trusted generals of his father the late Marshal Changg Tso-lin, to ex edition at 11 o’clock at night in the-drawing-room of the marshal’s Mukden residence on suspicion of treachery. He can, however, also show great kindness, and when crossed is an effable, friendly person with a great love of golf, tennis, and dancing.' He is a favourite with Europeans, and undoubtedly popular with his own people. To me he appeared as like a thoughtful, rather pensive type of junior officer He was in a well-cut undress uniform of dark grew cloth, the slacks being Aarefully creased above his polished 'boots. The stiff tunic with its high close collar, fitted perfectly his spare frame.

His face is long and narrow, with high cheek-bones and brilliant black eyes. It is the face of the.aristocratic ruling type and is adorned with a slight black moustache and black hair brushed straight back from the forehead.

Although speaking English well, he preferred to have my questions repeated in Chinese by the Europeanised secretary, Air Thomas Lee. This gave him time to compose his answers without hesitation. He talked rapidly and easily his nervous hands clasped above his knees as he sat forward in a low armchair.

He rarely smiled, but when he dithe change in an otherwise melancholy expression Was surprisingly attractive. His villa at Peiling is a new and substatial country house, built in con crete in a European architectural style. It is hidden by trees and shrubs and stands in a large park not so far from the so-called North Mausoleum, where the Manchu Emperor, Tatsung, is buried. Around the massive concrete lodge at the entrance to the grounds were half a dozen liatless and coatlesryoung men with automatics strapped in the belt of their European trousers. CLOSEST SCRUTINY. There was the closest scrutiny of my credentials and long delay before I was permitted to take my car into the circular drive past the marshal’s tennis courts to the house. The main hall was swarming with more silent and keen-eyed Chinese. AVitKout a word they ushered me into the reception room, where a moment later T was joined by the marshal. It was a European room, despite the violence olf its colouring, with modern furniture. The centre table was draped with a cheap lace cover, and the open doors looked out to a pleasant flower garden in which the marshal takes great pride.

There were none of the usual circuitous preliminaries of Chinese polite conversation. A noiseless servant placed cups of scented tea on a table, and ,we plunged at once into tbe subject of Russia. “Our action of seizing the Chinese Eastern Railway was the only means of stopping the mischievous and harmful propaganda of the Bolsheviks,” said the marshal. “Russia definitely pledged herself in an agreement signed at Peking by Karakhan (Soviet -Deputy - Foreign Commissar) in 1924 and later in the so-called Mukden agreement for tbe administration of the railway that she would not engage in any political or social agitation in China. These promises have been repeatedlv broken, and we have positive proof of this. RUSSIAN POISON. “ Although tbe Russians destroyed the majority of their incriminating documents at Harbin at the time their offices were raided, enough wore sewed hv ns to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt tbe existence of a widespread and systematic organisation to poison the minds of our young men and disunite the country. Tbe Russians had made the railway tbe camouflaged bend of this organisation.

“ Wo had endeavoured previously, in every possible way, to induce them to

keep their agreement, but, thinking that we would not dare to take drastic action, all our appeals were met with cynical indifference.

“ I knew Karaldian when he was stationed in Peking,’ and after the rupture L wrote to Moscow to him pointing out that we were not attempting to seize the railway for our own ends. We were merely‘determined to stamp out this propaganda —which they had been using to exploit the poverty and unrest of our people—and to force Russia to keep her part of the bargain, as we had kept ours.” I asked if recent frontier incidents were due to aggression by the Chinese.

RUSSIAN RAIDS

“ On the contrary,” replied the marshal, “the Russians are wholly responsible. Here again they have broken their word by violating £he Peace Pact and invading Chinese territory. There have been raids by 40 or 50 men at various points, possibly due to shortage of food; but.if it is due only to the indiscipline of Russian troos, why have not higher officers intervened to prevent them?

“Our 00,000 troops have moved up to lines well back from the frontier, leaving a broad zone intervening, to avoid retaliation by the Chinese in the event of further raids. If the Russians should advance beyond this definite area it will be an act of war. “ If we are attacked we shall coun-ter-attack, but it 'is not our intention to take tbe initiative. We are a member of the League of Nations and a party to the Kellogg Anti-War Pact. It is not an exaggeration to say that a spark might cause an explosion which would have consequences far-reaching in the East.”

The interview concluded with a characteristically Chinese observation by the marshal. “ It is an odd situation,” he said, “ that Russia, having preached so violently against Imperialism, is now adopting an aggressive Imperialist attitude. She has completely, reversed herself. We might lose the railway, but in any case Russians have lost face.”