BRITISH TERMS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 31 January 1927, Page 5

BRITISH TERMS

OFFERED TO CHINA.

recognition of courts. full tariff autonomy. BY CABLE- -PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYBIGHT ■LONDON, Jan. 29. Sir Austen Chamberlain, speaking at Birmingham, announced, the new terms which Britain has offered Northern China and the Cantonese Government. Firstly, that Britain was prepared to recognise modern Chinese law courts, without the attendance of a British official, as competent to deal with eases in which British people were concerned. Secondly, Britain was ready to apply in British courts in China the existing Chinese civil and commercial codes and subordinate legislation, and she was also ready to go further than this when all the Chinese codes are complete. Thirdly, Britain was prepared to make British nationals liable to regular Chinese taxation, not involving discrimination against British subjects and goods, including taxation under a national tariff when it is promulgated, thereby, as far as Britain is concerned, removing the last obstacle to full tariff autonomy.

SITUATION CLEARED UP

VAR DEMONSTRATIONS CAUSED

ALARM

SETTLEMENT BY NEGOTIATION MAY BE POSSIBLE.

LONDON, Jan. 30. The China situation has been wonderfully Cleared up by the frank speech of Sir Austen Chamberlain at Birmingham last evening, in which he discloses the terms of the British oger and explained trie motives behind the military measures. The speech was too late for editorial comment in the Sunday papers, but the headlines and the notes by political writers indicate their appreciation of Sir Austen Chamberlain’s frankness, which is most timely In. view of tne Labourites preparations for demonstrations throughout the whole country. As a matter of fact, uneasiness has not. been confined to the Laborites. The whole country has been somewhat disturbed lately by what appeared to be an outbreak of militarism. It is learned that there has been a good deal ol criticism in Foreign Office circles concerning the War Office’s publicity methods over military actions. The Labourites’ chief /complaint when they saw Sir Austen Chamberlain was that the despatch of warships and troops had been announced with such a wealth of photographic and other Press publicity as to give the impression that the War Lords were seeking to over-ride the Foreign Office and create war fever. The public mind and Labour had been informed of the British policy and had fully approved of the conciliatoriness of its offers to China, but the announcements of military steps had been made in such a manner as provoked fears in Labour circles. These had led to preparations lor anti-war demonstrations throughout the country, hence the Ministerial wrath again the War Office. Meantime the best informed people are satisfied with the immediate outlook arid consider the promptness ■with which Britain has shown that sue is not bluffing, but is detei mined to be ready to defend British lives and property. combined with her generous ■offer to negotiate, may be all that is meeessary to yield a satisfactory sett.e®m*nt by unhurried negotiations. A statement is persistently cropping ip, in reliable diplomatic and other circles, that one of the Cantonese demands will be absolute equal ity of their nationals throughout the world, including a right to Australia on the same footing as other foreigners. The Paris paper, Le Temps, regards the British conciliatory proposals to ’Eugene Chen 4*s affording hope that grave conflict will be definitely av cited. “Sir Austen Chamberlain has shown courage and wisdom in the moderation of his Chinese policy, but other members of Cabinet became excited the moment they heard the word war, said Air Lloyd George at Birmingham. He, added that Mr. L. C. M. Amery, who has been outlining the Government’s limits in tlie concession, “was a small but wadded explosive material.’’ * He blew tip the Baldwin Government., but this explosive atom could not. be permitted to blow up the country. Although the Government must protect British lives, it should not let expeditions go to the interior. Britain should lead the way by giving China justice. China was an invaluabje market for Britain. “I do not want to see the Union Jack flying over empty warehouses,’’ he said.

BRITISH PREPARATIONS

ENDORSED BY JAPANESE

TOKIO, Jan. 29.

Baron Shidehara, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, in a statement on the situation at Shanghai, says: ‘‘l think it is impossible ior the British to let matters go by in Shanghai where there are many British residents. My opinion is that it is only proper and natural for Britaiiri to take adequate steps in case of emergency. ‘•I cannot sav a British-Canton clash is coming, a.ncl I am confident that Britain does not desire a clash, hut is acting in the event of emergency arid nothing else, and, when the situation has been peacefully settled, I believe Britain will send all her forces back to their original stations. “There” are no indications at present that Japanese lives and property are endangered. Canton officials niul array are promising to afford all the necessary protection .should clanger arise. We shall resort to proper measures, hut military preparations are now unnecessary Jest they cause needless alarm.” The Press is featuring the alleged fjubstance of the second British memorandum informally communicated to Japan, suggesting the cancellation of Chinese debts, the abolition of extra territoriality, and the return of the concessions on the basis of SinoForeign control. To debt suggestion is causing consternation in financial circles, inasmuch ns China is Japan s heaviest debtor. DEPARTURE OF 'TROOPS. LONDON, Jan. 29. ■With hands playing “Tipperary and “The Tong, Tong Trail, the Guardsmen adapting the old song and singing “There’s a silver lining m Changhaiee,” accompanied by enormous crowds, including their wives and children marching alongside, the

Coldstream Guards departed from Wellington Barracks. • An old woman, standing at Westminster Bridge, handed out bunches of white heather. The battalion entrained at Waterloo, where the crowd rushed the gates, rxiuring on to the platform for tie final farewell. Onlookers roughly handled Communists distributing pamphlets. The police intervened. The Coldstream Guards sailed from Southampton by the Kinfauns Castle. The Middlesex* battalion paraded at Gatterick in a snowstorm, arrived at London, and boarded the Herminius. A mechanised battery of eighteen pounders, also a battery of howitzers, have been ordered to China. RED ARMY WILL NOT INTERVENE. LONDON, Jan. 27. The Times’ Riga correspondent says that M. Rudhitnk. a member of the political bureau, declares _ that _ tho Red Armv will not officially intervene in China however the struggle develops, bur tbe Soviet could. _ not and would not restrain Soviet citizens from assisting the Cantonese against their capitalist, Imperialist enemies.

BRIiISH POLICY »UMMAIUSEI>. SYMPATHY WITH CHINESE .viTO-N AJj'iS i' ASBIR,AiIUuN S. WHAT' IS AT' STAKE. LONDON, Jan. 28. A Press correspondent, Mr. A. M. Pooley, writing on the Chinese .situation, 'says that though the policy which the British Government has adopted is somewhat late in the day, it is sympathetic with the Chinese national aspirations. The leasson why the policy wias not expressed earlier is stated to be the fear of attempting to take sides in the Chinese internal disputes. Though the explanation is not altogether .satisfactory, it must be accepted lor what it is worth. Ihe immediate problem with which British interests in China, are concerned is the extent to which the ment is prepared to go in its practical expressions of sympathy. Though there is no information officially in regard to the proposals put forward by Mr. O’Malley, it is understood that the Government is prepared to negotiate for the retrocession of all. the ex-tra-territorial settlements in China with the exception of the international settlement at Shanghai. In connection with the latter, it is prepared to consider a co-operative administration by the Chinese. Guarantees will also be asked for and more civilised methods of administration of law, as in the case of Japan during the nineties. There is no doubt the Government is seized with the fear that, in the event . an extension of the trouble, Japan might step in and assert the dominating position to which she aspired in war time, and from which she withdrew after the Washington Conference. It can hardly he conceived tinr. England’s and Japan’s economic position lat the present time is not such as will penuit independent action, not that such action would, involve the resumption of a commercial boycott from which Japan suffered irtost severely I wo years ago. The protests of British Lalx.iv: against the action in China, need not be seriously considered. They are rather in the nature of blowing a kiss towards Moscow than the .results of definite conviction. The importance of the dimise market to England is well recognised by the labourite. If Mr Ramsay MacDonald were in. office, he would have to adopt the .same measures. British investments in China exceed £100,000,000, while .shipping in the China, trade, .is more than treble that in the Australian trade. It may be pointed out that the policy to scuttle now after the violence at Hankow, if taken to its- logical conclusion, would result in the Chinese making other demands affecting Question 1 - not purely of internal importance. If the concessions held by solemn treaties are scrapped in the face of mob outbreaks, it is possible the Chinese will be encouraged' to extend the demands to other spheres, for example, the rights' of migration and residence in the Dominions.