TROOPS FOR CHINA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 27 January 1927, Page 5

TROOPS FOR CHINA

THEIR ONLY PURPOSE.

TO PROTECT NATIONALS CONFLICT NOT DESIRED. bt cable—press association— copyright. Received 10.50 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Jam. 26. “You cannot negotiate with a typhoon ; you must secure safety for yourself and family till it blows out,” said Sir Thomas, Inskip, Solicitor-Gen-eral, when-speaking at Tipton. ‘When that happv day comes the Government will be ready to begin negotiations which Mr Goohen admits are preferable to war. Whether a responsible authority ordered the attack on the British at Hankow Ido not know, but , the manner in which the' scriptural injunction to turn the other cheek to _ the Bmiter was obeyed proves the British to prevent a* conflict of arms. The division going to China is not designed to co-operate with a Chinese faction to defend Chinese territory, or the British concession. It’s sole purpose is to see that the 16,000 British men, women and children at Shanghai as sate as they can be made.”

MORE WARSHIPS UNDER ORDERS. Received 10.5 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Jan. 26. , The aircraft carrier Argus has been 1 ordered to China. * MALTA, Jan. 26. The destroyers Wanderer and Woolstan, the gunboats Aphis and Ladybird, and the hospital ship Maine are expected to leave for China on February 1. BRITISH PROPOSALS. PRESENTED TO EUGENE CHEN. Received 10.20 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Jan. 26. Mr O’Malley has presented to Mr Eugene Chen definite proposals on behalf of the British Government. MILITARY DEMONSTRATIONS. JAPAN OPPOSED TO THEM. NOT CO-OPERATING WITH BRITAIN. Received 10.20 a.m. to-day. TOKIO, Jan. 26. Japanese officials denounce as puro propaganda the cabled reports that Britain, Japan and America are co-operat-ing in a military and naval demonstration against Hankow. The Government authorities assert that Japan declined to associate with Britain in demonstrating force, because she considers it premature and liable to react seriously against the participants’ interests and future influence. The Japanese navy has despatched four destroyers for patrol work: on the Yantsze, with positive orders not to land troops. I ATTACKS ON BRITAIN. BORODIN GIVES A REASON. HIS VIEW ON THE NORTH v. SOUTH CAMPAIGN. Received 10.20 a m. to-day. SHANGHAI: Jan. 26. In an interview at Hankow, M. Borodin, the Russian adviser to the Southern Government, attributed the singling ’ out of Britain for attack by the Kuo Min Tung extremists to the fact that no amends were made for the Shanghai. Shameen and Wanbsien affairs. Referring to the British memorandum, he, said that the only tangible proposal in it placed large sums in the hands of the Northern militarists. Regarding the prospects of the Southerners holding their ground against the North. Sr. Borodin admitted that militarily the Northerners might appear to have advanced, hut he declared they were asyood as defeated. History condemned them, and all that remained was to hnrv the corpse.

SOVIET ANGRY AT DESPATCH OF BRITISH TROOPS. BITTER DISILLUSIONM ENT. LONDON, Jan. 26. “According to reliable reports tlie Soviet Government is furiously angry over the despatch of large British naval arid military reinforcements to China,” says the Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent, “for Moscow has reputedly assured the Cantonese that the popular opinion in England, and its Communist arid Socialistic friends will not permit the Government to send a single unit. Hence the Cantonese were told they could bluff the British out of every settlement and concession with impunity. “The Bolshevik disillusionment is apparently bitter. Moscow hoped to secure the ejection from China first to Britain and tflen of America. _ This would have left Soviet Russia in China confronting only Japan and the smaller European Powers with whom it was thought a deal might have been made.” The correspondent emphasises that Britain was no party to the Chinese civil wars. “The Chinese city and province of Shanghai had changed hands several times in recent years. Our only concern was to prevent the Cantonese from overrunning the international settlement and abolishing the foreign municipal council.” The Daily Express says editorially: “The man in the street is not satisfied that the extensive military measures ./ are merely precautionary. Japan has decided not to send troops and theloreign Affairs Committee of the United States Congress has decided to make a new agreement independently of the

other Powers. Britain is willing to protect its own interests and the lives and property of its nationals, but there is no reason to do more. Britain does not mind holding her own baby, but does not want foundlings on her doorsteps.”

TROOPS EMBARK. LIGHT-HEARTED GAIETY. LONDON, Jan. 25. The embarking of 1000 marines and two flights of the Air Force aboard the Minnesota to-day recalled episodes familiar during the World War, but the light-hearted gaiety at Portsmouth was very different from the grim tragedies enacted in 1914-18. The whole town turned out to cheer the marines, who marched three miles along the southern front singing “Shanghai! Shanghai!” which is a most popular song. At the entrance to the dockyard a band struck up with Elgar’s “Land of Hope and Glory.” Fatigue parties then stowed the kits aboard the ship and the cranes lifted the aeroplanes to the decks. The public farewell has now finished and only close relatives will be allowed on the jetty to shout a last good-bye when the Minnesota steals away at dawn. A ROUSING SEND-OFF. UNPARALLELED EVEN IN GREAT WAR. Received 9.40 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Jam. 26. It is ’yarned that the Eighth Destroyer Flotilla will probably leave for China on February 10. The troopshop Minnesota left at nine o’clock in the morning. She was accorded a rousing farewell, unparalleled veri in the Great War. Friends and relatives thronged the quayside. Marines rushed down the gangways and hugged their wives or sweethearts. Three bands played lively airs, and the marines and those bidding them farewell were roaring choruses. Finally the shin cast off to the strains of “Au.'d Lang Syne” and a wonderful demonstration of cheers from, the ship and counter-cheers from the quayside.

BRITISH POLICY MISREPRESENTED. LONDON, Jan. 25. Sir P. Cunliffe-Lister, in a speech referring to the Cantonese manifesto, declared : “Chen completely misrepresents the British policy. It contains nothing of aggression or Imperialism, but expresses the genuine will for peace. Nevertheless, we cannot submit to violence.” BOLSHEVIK ACTIVITIES. BEING CONCENTRATED IN CHINA. LONDON, Jan. 26. The Daily Mail says . Moscow is suspending its revolutionary activities everywhere and concentrating on China, where it hopes to deal a heavy blow to Britain. All the leading agitators, plentifully supplied with funds, are arriving for the purpose of using every possible means to prevent an Anglo-Cantonese agreement. There is a significant lull in Bolshevik activities, which is particularly noticeable in India, Afghanistan, Persia and even in the French colonies.

The Daily Mail states that it has been discovered that the Chinese information bureau is not connected with the Chinese Legation in Belgrave Road, which disseminates Cantonese propaganda. It is in charge of Francis Orlando Bridgeman, who is admittedly in constant touch with the C'a ntonese Government.

CANADA NOT INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. VANCOUVER, Jan. 26. An Ottawa message in the Toronto Globe says: “The departure of Biitish troops for Shanghai was followed on Tuesday by an unofficial message from tne Motherland inquiring about the opinion in Canada concerning the troub.e in China. It suggested that the Dominion might be invited to send a small expeditionary force in view of the large number of Canadian missionaries in the Orient and of the important Canadian commercial interests which might bo threatened by the action of the Chinese Nationalists. While no olficial pronouncement is forthcoming it is stated on good authority that Canada has not yet been asked to participate in the British military plans.”