CHINESE BANDITS

Evening Star, Issue 18280, 21 May 1923, Page 6

CHINESE BANDITS

CAPTIVES STILL HELD.

SHANTUNG GOVERNOR’S OFFER,

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

PEKING, May 19,

Advice received by the Foreign Legations to-day increased tho expectation of the release'of the captives. The jGoVernor of Shantung telegraphed that a,' messenger had been sent to the bandits offering the leaders army commissions and agreeing to incorporate tho entire bandit force in tho Shantung army. The Government troops in the Sinoheng district are themselves beginning to murmur because their pay is in arrears, andt hreats have been made that the troops may join the bandits. The Government, which would agree to the bandits’ demands that the Government troops should he withdrawn from Shantung, is, however, powerless, because tho Tuchuns (military governors) refuse to permit such withdrawal.

The Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, which represents one of the most important British communities in China, has sent a copy of the resolution to the British Gouernpmnt expressing its horror at the bandits’ detention of tho Britishers, and tasking that action be taken to secure their release. —A. and N.Z. Cable.

PEKING, May 18. The Government has announced that further negotiations with the bandits seem to be impossible. The latter have gained numerically, and now demand the withdrawal of all the Government troops throughout Shantung.—A. and N.Z. Cable. WASHINGTON, May 19.

The State Department has received advice that the Diplomatic Corps in Peking is sending a fresh Note demanding that the Chinese Government shall withdraw its troops from tho bandit territory.—A. and N.Z. Cable.