793.94/7083: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 19—11 a.m.]
297. Assistant Military Attaché Takahashi states today that Chahar situation is not yet settled. Chin Teh-chun, Chahar Commissioner of Civil Affairs and reportedly appointed Provincial Chairman to replace Sung, is leaving Peiping for Kalgan today for further negotiation. According to Takahashi, Sung[‘s] 132nd Division stationed near Chahar-Jehol border and alleged to be to blame for recent incidents has been ordered to move to a point south of Kalgan. It is not yet known whether Sung will consent to accept such a new post as may be offered him by the National Government or whether the National Government will in fact provide a suitable post.
It is reported that the Executive Yuan appointed Wang Keh-min on June 18 acting chairman of the Peiping Political Readjustment Committee due to Huang Fu’s continuing absence. Wang Keh-min who is also chief councilor of this Committee is understood to be satisfactory to the Japanese perhaps because he is friendly to the Anfu clique, having been Finance Minister in an Anfu cabinet for a few months in 1917–18. He is the third official to be appointed to an important post in North China since the recent trouble began. Shang Chen, Tientsin garrison commander and acting Mayor of Tientsin, has no such background. However, Chang Hou-wan appointed June 6 acting chairman of Hopei is a nephew of the present “Manchukuo” Finance Minister and a grandson of a former grand secretary96 of the inner cabinet of the Ching dynasty. The appointments of Wang and Chang are believed possibly to indicate the trend of affairs in North China.
Repeated to Nanking.
- Chang Chih-tung, who died in 1909.↩