WHAT IT MEANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 68, 22 March 1927, Page 7

WHAT IT MEANS.

GOOD NOT EVIL.

Step Towards Solidarity in China. BRITISH ANTICIPATION. ■ II LONDON". March 21. " I ho t'aii of Shanghai" gives wesri". he.» an altogether false impression i" 1 ! the situation. declared an official srwkesman at Downing Street. '"There was no capture of the citv. Herore the siege there was no serio::* nguting. t iiereiore the be-?: western -iniile to describe the position is t" say the Cantonese, following a genera! election, have chosen, by a largo majority, to control Shanghai." Official circle* do not anticipate a tf la«h : otl any larie scale between the Cantonese forces or the Northerners, and the troop* defending the international settlements The occupation of the crv bv the Cantonese, which has i.nij l.vn air;ci- : pated. is expected to be d peaceful affair. ! apart from some rioting* and I isolated shooting*. but the Cantonese j recocrnise that their claim* to control j Shanghai and ultimately a large ran of j China in the name or the new national- : ism. as well as their need of revenue from taxation ot the wealthv business ! community in Shanghai. would bo seri- | ously prejudiced it they did n• jt prevent ' bloodshed. | The Cantonese commanders have a! | ready conferred with the commanders of 2 : the international forces at Shanghai I and sought a detailed explanation of the ! locations of British. French. Italian and j Japanese forces in order to make everv I endeavour to prevent trouble. | Well-informed circles here a>ihere to , the view held for some time that the ' j Cantonese occupation of Shanghai, apart i I from some ebullition of feeling insepar- r . able from the transition peri<xl. will j ultimately be to the advantage of British ! i interests and facilitate the establishment Jot a new and lasting regime under which r 1 j commerce can proceed unhampered.