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328 late General Huang Hsin fled to Shanghai disguised as coolies. Upon reaching Shanghai, Mr. Hsu found that the Shanghai members including men like Chang Tai-yen had been arrested by the Mixed Court and their organ closed in June 1903. He was also arrested and remained in prison for three months after which they were released by order of the Peking imperial government. Mr .Hsu sailed for Japan again. There he took up the study of law and political science and his principles underwent another change returning to constitutional reform and he joined Liang Chi-chiao's party again. It was at this time the Constitutional Party came into existence and openly challenged the Revolutionary Party headed by Sun Yat-sen. In 1907 Mr. Hsu returned to China, and started the movement of urging the government to adopt a constitutional system. In December 1908, as a result of repeated representations by the people, an Imperial Edict was promulgated promising to introduce constitutional government after nine years during which period of time preparations would be made. Mr. Hou then influenced the advisory councils of the different provinces to form a joint representative body demanding the government to shorten the preparation period. At the same time he established a newspaper organ in Peking called Kuo Ming Kung Pao to support the representation. In November 1910 the Peking government made a declaration to convoke a parliament in 1913 but on the other hand gave instructions to the provincial governors to dissolve all the representative bodies. Mr. Hsu's, Ming Kung Pao was at once closed and many leaders were arrested. The reaction was that most of the prominent persons who had been hitherto advocating a constitutional monarchy became revolutionists. A big revolutionary plan was laid with Mr. Hsu as agent for Hunan province. Men like the late Tong Hua-lung, General Tan Yen-kai, Ling Chang-ming Sun Hung-i, and Wen Shih-lin were in this movement as agents for their own respective provinces. The First Revolution broke out at Wuchang in October 1911. Through the efforts of these agents, many provinces responded to the revolutionary call. After the establishment of the Repulic in 1912, Mr. Hsu went to Peking where he again started his paper the Kuo Ming Kung Pao. He did not accept any official position until 1914 when President Yuan Shih-kai gave him a post political councillor. Mr. Hsu took a very strong attitude against Yuan Shih-kai when the latter launched his monarchical movement in 1915. He was one of the important members of the revolt which overthrew Yuan Shih-kai's movement, the other members being the late General Tsai Ao, Liang Chi-chiao, and several others. Mr. Hsu did not accept any offer of high position during President Li Yuan-hung's regime. The dissolution of the First Parliament prior to Chang Hsun's monarchical attempt in 1917 and the refusal of the northern leaders to reconvoke it after Chang Hsun's overthrow finally resulted in the opening of civil strife between the north and the south. In September 1918 Hsu Shih-chang was elected President by the New Parliamenta To him Mr. Hsu submitted the idea of calling a Peace Conference to accomplish China's reunification. This was accepted and was agreed to by the southern leaders. In December 1918 Peking appointed Chu Chi-chien as Chief Delegate and Mr. Hsu and eight others as members of the Northern Delegation. The experience Mr. Hsu gained in