893.00/3379: Telegram
The Minister in China (Crane) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 8—3:22 p.m.]
161. Owing to dismissal Hsu Shu Cheng by the President, Anfu Club under Tuan Chi Jui and Hsu Shu Cheng has risen against the President who has been forced to draw up mandates which at this hour have probably been issued degrading Tsao Kun military governor of Chihli and dismissing Wu Pei Fu and turning him over to court martial for punishment. Chang Tso Lin, military governor of Manchuria, left Peking at 1 o’clock this morning and is now at Tientsin. His plans are unknown. Tuan’s armies are now marching on Paotingfu assisted by Japanese officers to attack Tsao Kun and Wu Pei Fu. The President’s weakness has hopelessly discredited him. His nomination of Chou Shu Mo as premier still stands but we may expect that he will soon nominate Tuan as premier.