CHINA: Double-Crossed

Two weeks ago the Chinese Government told the foreign Diplomatic Corps at Peking that the Military Governor of Shantung had been dismissed; last week President Tsao-Kun promoted the dismissed man to a higher military rank and to membership in the honorary body of retired officers. This made the Diplomats angry, as Tien Chung-Yu, ex-Military Governor of Shantung, was held by them to be personally responsible for the bandit outrage which occurred near Tsinan last May. Obviously his promotion to a higher rank was a flagrant violation of the spirit contained in the last Chinese note to the Diplomats (TIME, Oct. 22), which gave them to understand that Tien Chung-Yu had been punished.

This action of the President led to the resignation of Acting Foreign Minister Dr. V. K. Wellington Koo, who, as the author of the Chinese note, felt himself to have been “double-crossed” by his chief. Dr. Koo (one of the best known Chinese statesman) was formerly Chinese Minister to the U. S. and represented his country at the Washington Arms Conference (Nov. 12, 1921—Feb. 6, 1922). His resignation is a loss to the Tsao-Kun Administration.