TOWARDS FOREIGNERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 64, 17 March 1927, Page 9

TOWARDS FOREIGNERS

STRICT NEUTRALITY IN ORDER

PEKIN, loth March.

General Ho Ting Tin, Commandor-in-Chief of tho Southern forces in Chokiang, has issued through the local Kuomintang a. statement concerning tho Cantonese attitude towards tho foreign settlement. After requesting tho foreign authorities in Shanghai to observe tho strictest neutrality, it declares that the Nationalist army, firstly, will not attempt to seizo the settlement; secondly, will protect in the fullest measure the lives and property of foreign residents and schools and hospitals owned by foreigners within tho settlement; thirdly, requests tho foreign forces at present in Shanghai to keop within the settlement boundaries, thus avoiding an unnecessary misunderstanding, which would inevitably lead to a situation inimical to tho peaceful intention of both parties; and, lastly, tho Nationalist army in the campaign against the Northern militarists deqlares that it has no intention of disturbing tho peace and order of the 'lenient. However, should stray bullets unfortunately fall in the settlement' the foreign authorities are asked to view such accidents in the light of reason and tolorance, as being beyond tho Nationalists' ability to prevent.