SITUATION ANALYSED

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 7 February 1927, Page 9

SITUATION ANALYSED

"OBSERVER'S" COMMENT

LONDON, 6th February.

Cabinet spent the week-end in close touch with Sir Miles Lampson and Mr. O'Malloy, and important decisions regarding the disposal of British defence troops are expected early in the week.

The "Observer's" diplomatic correspondent says that so far as the British Government is concerned the chief policy is to liberate China from the obsolete system of virtual foreign supervision, and control, and, secondly, to protect life in the transition stage. Any step on the part of the Canton orShanghai Governments towards assuring the safety of foreigners in Shanghai would be welcome. • There is no present intention of breaking off relations with Russia, in. spite of the undoubted part she has played in stirring lip anti-British feeling, but the question of dealing in some other way with the persistent hostility of Moscow is engaging the Cabinet's attention.

It is understood that, while Cabinet does not contemplate breaking off commercial relations with Russia, it may be embarrassed in Parliament next week when 120 Conservatives threaten t) raise the Russian issue and demand the withdrawal of privileges.

Cabinet considered, the proposal to divert the troopships to Hong Kong, but the Australian Press Association gathers that it is improbable that an immediate decision will be reached on this point, because the transports have only left Gibraltar, so their destination need not be finally decreed for at least a fortnight. It is not.a matter easily decided, because the consideration has arisen that the diversion of troops may be wrongly interpreted and be hailed as a further blow at British prestige in the Far East. But a stronger consideration is whether Chen is in a position, after what happened at Hankow, to guarantee the fulfilment of the pledge that no harm shall befall foreign nationals in Shanghai, and thus obviate the need for providing a barrier between the mob's excesses and British nationals.