General Huang's News

There was new fighting in Outer Mongolia last week between Mongolian and Manchukuan troops. Details were scarce and the Nationalist Government in Nanking preferred to think of other things. And they had good news to think about. Until 1924 Buddhists in Tibet looked up to two Lamas or Living Buddhas, the Panchen Lama, or spiritual head, and the Dalai Lama or temporal head of Buddhism. British intrigue found the Dalai Lama more willing to listen to reason. The Panchen Lama fled to China, where for the past eleven years he has been traveling about in a bright yellow railway car, oblivious to and unharmed by civil wars, on a salary of $480,000 (Mex.) a year from the Nationalist Government.

Months ago General Huang Mu-sung of the Nationalist Government led a Chinese mission deep into Tibet to see what effect all this kindness, all this money had had. The time seemed most propitious. The British-controlled Dalai Lama had died in December 1933, and according to immemorial tradition his spirit was announced to have found residence in the body of a small button-eyed Tibetan moppet, chosen by wheel-spinning Buddhist priests. Until he reaches his majority the new Dalai Lama will be shut up in a monastery and the country will be governed by a Regency. Nobody knew for certain who was pulling the strings that ran the Regency, but China's chances might be better. In August the Panchen Lama set out with a special trainload of food provisions and cash for Inner Mongolia where his Holiness could be within striking distance of Tibet, should the Faithful still desire him.

Breathlessly Nanking waited word from General Huang Mu-sung. No direct word came from him for weeks, but last week Huang Mu-sung was back in Nanking, his yellow face wreathed in smiles. Tibet, he roundly swore, was ready to forget 21 years of estrangement from China, would now cooperate fully with the Nationalist Government.

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