GRAVE IMPORTANCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 9 February 1927, Page 9

GRAVE IMPORTANCE

LATE EDITION

AFFAIRS IN CHINA. MR MACDONALD’S CRITICISM BRITAIN’S POLICY EXPLAINED. BY GABL.B- -BItESS . ASSOCIAI'IOre -UOPYIUGUi. Received 1.15 p.m. to-day. LONDON, Feb. 8. In tlie House of Commons, Mr Ramsay MacDonald said that in regard to China, the position could on:y ba described as of grave importance. AVe had created a. new situation by sending out a defence force of -soldiers to act as policemen. It might and might not increase the security of the British people in Shanghai. The first effect was to unite Peking and Canton m a protest. The only way to diminish the risk to our own nationals was to get such arrangements under consideration as to make an outbreak of violence impossible. He asked if Mr Chen had been approached regarding a guarantee of security. The Government was playing with fire in sending troops. He urged the House to do eevrything in its power to get the negotiations resumed. Then the forces could be diverted. Uninfluential elements in China did not want a peaceful settlement, but their influence would be greater so long as our .policy was in doubt. Nothing would complicate foreign relations more than a breach with jfimssia. Did Mr Baldwin contemplate in Russian policy? Personally, he hoped to see Britain in closer touch. The Prime. Minister, the Rt. Hon. Stanley Baudwin, replying, said that Mr MacDonald wanted the 'King’s Speech filled with a mass of legislation which would enable Mr MacDonald to unite the scattered fragments of the Labour Party. The Government had only included Bills that could be passed before August 1, because the experiment of the late autumn scission would be repeated. He announced that there would be a debate on China on Thursday. He doubted whether Mr MacDonald would have spoken as lie did if he had been the responsible head of the Government. There were appearances in China reminiscent of those preceding the Boxer troubles. The danger was not only from a Shanghai mob. If b’oodshed had begun at Hankow, it might have resulted in Chinese troops fighting the mob. and might easily have resulted in a massacre. Mr Baldwin added : “We have sent forces which we have been advised as necessary to defend our people in the international concession if the circumshould arise of a :real struggle to capture the concessions and murder the inhabitants on the part of the mob. together with troops from either the beaten or victorious army, coming into Shanghai. >Our forces have been sent to the Far East to safeguard British lives in China, partciularly in Shanghai. That was, and is, the Government’s only policy question at the time, and the number of troops landed at Shanghai must depend on the advice received from our representatives on the spot. If thev consider that the emergency requires an immediate! disembarkation at Shanghai, we shall act accordingly: if not. the leading brigade will be he'd in readiness at Hongkong while the rest of the force is approaching. ‘ There can be no question of entering into an agreement with Mr Chen with the movement of troops despatched solely with the object of protecting British livrs.” (Cheers). We could not shorten the internal Chinese struggle hv.enterintr it ourseVes. We m-ind lie- ready for the day when there wijPP he a united Government in China. By making the most generous advances simultaneously to both parties and by discussing what they could do to come together in order, when the internal struggles are ended, that we will he able to enter new friendly and propitious relntkfns with that great country.” (Cheers'!. The Prince of Wales occupied his usual seat over the clock during Mr MacDonald’s and Mr Baldwin’s speeches. '•

DESPATCH OF TROOPS

CREATES WRONG IMPRESSION. Received 1.10 p.m. to-day. LONDON, Feb. 8. In the House of Lords, Lord Haldane thought that during a delicate crisis like the Chinese, nobody but the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister should speak, as other Ministerial utterances published in China were calculated to create distrust. He did not question the Government’s obligations to protect our women and children in China, but all talk of an expeditionaryforce would be most harmful. It would have been better to preserve silence anent the destination of the forces. Lord Beauchamp agreed that all talk of an expeditionary force had given an unfortunate appearance of aggression, which was bound to be harmful and to affect the negotiations. The Marquess of Salisbury, referring to his own visit to Australia, said that he wished there were more opportunities for peers and commoners to see the Dominions, This would redound to the welfare of the Empire. Lbrd Haldane’s rebuke was indiscreet; *is speeches ought to be addressed to the Labourites, not to Ministers. The address to the King was agreed to.