CHAOTIC CHINA.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 303, 11 December 1922, Page 2

CHAOTIC CHINA.

OUTRAGES BY BANDITS. THE POWERS’ REPRESENTATIONS. New York. Dec. 9. The “‘Chicago Tribune’s’” Hunanfu correspondent interviewed We Pei Fu. to whom the Pekin Government has forwarded the Powers’ protest against the bandits’ capture of foreign missionaries. We Pei Fu expressed resentment at the. Powers’ desire to send a commission of investigation of the handitrv, and declared that he would be able to handle the situation. though he rM'ould provide facilities for such a commission’s investigations. He said the national r.roops in s the Hunan province were now surrounding the bandits, and all measures wpuld be taken to free the prisoners. Troops would also be assigned to protect foreigners remaining in the province. He was hopeful of accomplishing all this bv the end of December. -fA. and N.Z.) Interesting details concerning the chaotic conditions in China are given by Captain G. Lindsay Crawford, who has just arrived m ’Sydney. He speaks from experience, as his vessel wun looted by Chinese pirates in December last. The looting of Captain Crawford’?* vessel occurred on the trip from Shanghai to Hongkong. The pirates (Chinese ex-soldiers, whose outlawry is' the terror of their country), board-, ed the vessel at Shanghai as passengers. They locked up the other passengers and*the crew, and, under threat of instant death. Captain Crawford was induced to pilot his vessel on its course till a fishing iunk was overtaken. Into that the outlaws placed the loot they had secured aboard, and made off. “China is in a state of chaos,” said Captain Crawford. “Because of the unsettled government there is brigandage from one end of the country to the other. Refugees pour into the international territory, and create awkward problems for the authorities.”