ISSUES IN CHINA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 8 February 1927, Page 5

ISSUES IN CHINA

EUGENE CHEN’S SPEECH.

BRITISH POLICY CRITICISED STRUGGLE OF NATION AT J SM. BT CABLE — PRESN ASSOCIATION-COPY BIG d i PEKING, Feb. 7. Eugene Clhen, in a .speech to both Chinese and foreigners, commenting on Sir Austen Chamberlain's* speech at Birmingham, said he was. “afraid there was a .common misapprehension in each cronouncement- lately made on the present situation in China of the great secular principle which, through the disarrays and changes of the* day, is vorlcing out an independent modern date in China. “It is the principle or freedom, liberty and independence in its internal aspect,” he said. “This principle is manifested in the Nationalist movement against Chinese feudalism in the double form of a niu.tida.rinu.te that misrules at. Peking and decaying militarism which sustains the bandi t power of Ghiang-Tso-Lin and his fellow freebooters. JExternallly the same Principle is expressing itself in the KTa.tiona.list struggle concurrently known ite the anti-British movement. “An in complete grasp of this principle leads the Powers concerned to a conclusion, which is objectively false. This is particularly true of Britain with Chinese Nationalism. But instead of frankly and courageously dealing, with the only Government that cun make an effective and. binding peace with her, she retakes the old cart road to* Peking in order to associate with the antdNationalisb authorities there in the negotiation of a settlement on a question which Chinese Nationalism has compelled the British and others" to envisage as vital and urgent. The irony of the position is that whilst Sir Austen Chamberlain, in his Birmingham speech implies that negotiations solely . with the Nationalists would involve the recognition of the division of China, Jio is applying diplomatic technique that would infallibly bring about a real division of the country. He has communicated simultaneously to the* Nationalist Government and. to the feudal authorities in Peking certain proposals, which, ;if negotiated in the manner desired by him, must cleave China into *a Nationalist China with its Government at Wahun. and Feudalist China, with its anti-Naciou-alist Government iat Peking. “The vice in this diplomacy -lies in the persistence of the Peking complex in the mind of British imperialism. The latter admits through her Foreign Secretary the fundamental reasonableness of the demand for treaty revision which is the fundamental objective of Chinese Nationalism* in its struggle with alien Imperialism. “Instead of working on this fact seriously and realistically with the soleGovernment that derives its sanction and authority from Chinese Nationalism, Britain continues to twiddle with Chinese feudalism in Peking. ‘ ‘For fifteen years Britain has looked to Peking for a Government that will govern' and bring peace to a harassed country. To-day Peking is dying and Britain, her chief sustainer, is facing the greatest crisis in her career in the Far East, between Chinese Nationalism and Chinese feudalism. There can be no compromise, and the moment has come for the British to* decide whether their trade and commerce is to flourish in .an independent Nationalist China, or continue to decline in an unfree feudal China.”

SHANGHAI SEPrLEAIENT. EXCLUSION FJROjM FIGHTING All EA. AMERICAN PROPOSALS. WASHINGTON, Feb. 6. The text of Air. Kellogg s proposal tothe Ciime.se fact ions to exclude the lin- ' ternationai settlement in Shanghai from the area of armed conflict- states,: “'File fate of American interest in the settlement occasions great anxiety -to the American Government. Tlhe interests of tihe Chinese people and foreign nations. to a supreme degree, require that here order shall prevail. The American Government 'is confident that the Chinese military commanders will lend their sincere support to the proposal that the settlement be excludedfrom the area of armed conflict? so that American citizens and other foreigners may receive adequate protection. The American Government wall be ready to become a party to friendly and orderly negotiations, properly instituted and conducted, regarding the future status of the settlement. ” i,

ANGLO-RUSSTA.N RELATIONS. MOSCOW. Feb. 6. “If England really desires to satisfy the national aspirations of China, then her ground for supposing Bolshevik intrigues disappears, and it is possible for quiet discussion to begin between Britain and tlie Soviet.” Thus the newspaper Izvestia sums up the Russian Government’s attitude on China, adding: “The Soviets support Bismark’s view against participating in unavoidable conflict.” The Izvestia’s -statement follow,s M. Litvinoff’s announcement that, because Russia sympathises with the Cantonese, it need not hinder the 'latter from establishing good relation,s with Britain. CUSTOM? house; seized. PICKING, Fell. 7. A naval wireless states that at Joha-ng the Chinese soldiers seized the Custom's House -and residences which the Customs officers are occupying.