PROMPT ACTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 112, 8 April 1927, Page 7

PROMPT ACTION

FOREIGNERS PROTECTED. THANKS TO GREAT BRITAIN. MANY NATIONALITIES. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received April 8, 11.25 a.m. RUGBY, April 7. The Secretary for War stated to the House of Commons to-day that the destination of tli© fresh brigade ordered to China was Hongkong. Commander Locker Lampson, Un-der-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said the question of the safety of British subjects in Pekin was one of the main problems created by the existing conditions in China which had been engaging the anxious attention of tho Government. He declined to make any further statement as to what steps were being taken. The message of thanks transmitted to the British Government by. the foreigners in Shanghai for the “prompt and adequate measures taken for the defence of the international settlement” was signed by 3000 people, representing over 32 nationalities. All the leading members of each colony were among the signatories, including Mr Fessenden, the American chairman, and Mr Funstau, a Japanese member of the Municipal Council. The French concession municipal councillors were also among the signatories.—British official wireless. RAID ON EMBASSY. OFFICIAL DETAILS. SHANGHAI, April 7. Official details of the raid on the Soviet Embassy at Pekin show that secret agents of Chang Tso-lin investigated the source of radical propaganda emanating from Pekin for months past and cudminating in the arrest of two Americans, the trial of whom is held over pending the result of other investigations. Chang Tso-lin had appealed to foreign Ministers, comprising the diplomatic corps to curb the activities of Pekin Communists sheltering in the legation quarter. Permission was asked to enter and granted in contravention of diplomatic etiquette. Acting on this permission 100 Chinese police, personally commanded by the police chief, and 200 Chinese soldiers from Chang Tso-lin’s bodyguard, surrounded the Russian Embassy grounds on three sides. Simultaneously British troops with fixed bayonets and loaded rifles appeared at the British legation wall on the fourth side. In the meantime five trucks of documentary data and other material were removed, including seals inscribed “Pekin Branch of tho Kuomintang Political Committee of the Kirin, Shansi, Kansu and Chisli Provinces.” Without hesitation the Chinese forced an entry into the embassy and searched all in residence thoroughly, and arresting all found on the premises. The first building entered was a former Russian garrison. The searchers met with resistance, and a shot was fired from within. The searchers emerged dragging a Russian, kicking and fighting. Other searchers discovered two machine guns, 15 rifles, small arms and tw r o red flags. The Russian was handcuffed and dragged into the street. In the meantime other prisoners emerged quietly and drove off in automobiles. The figjiting Russian refused an automobile, his struggles attracted a crowd which wms batoned away. The episode produced the wildest scenes in the legation quarter, and mobs were dispersed with the greatest difficulty. The search of the embassy was continued and officials were ordered to remain in the offices. A fire which broke out in tho main building, apparently to destroy important documents, was soon distinguished. After six hours’ searching 64 were arrested, handcuffed and incarcerated, including the Soviet Charge d’Affaires.

At Hankow the Chinese authorities have issued proclamations ordering complete immunity to foreigners from molestation. It is officially stated that the Japanese casualties as a result of Sunday’s riots were five killed and ten missing. Japanese naval reinforcements have arrived.

The latest reports from Nanking say that very heavy fighting between north and south forces at Kwantien is reported by the warship Emerald.—A. and N.Z. cable.

AUTHORITATIVE REPORTS.

*AN UNAUTHORISED SEARCH,

Received April 8, 9.55 a.m. .WASHINGTON, April 7. Unofficial but authoritative reports here to-day stated that the foreign diplomatic corps in Pekin are expected to protest to the local authorities against the unauthorised invasion of the Russian legation ground and compound in connection with the authorised Chinese raid on the adjoining private Russian property. The State Department announced that the senior Minister on behalf of the diplomatic quarter, had authorised the Chinese authorities to search on April 6 the property of the Russian Dahl Bank and the Russian Eastern Chinese Railway, but gave no authorisation for rhe raid on the adjacent compound, after which the Chinese went beyond the authorisation and raided the compound also. —A. and N.Z. cable.

“NOT VALID.”

PASSPORT ENDORSED. LONDON, April 6. As an endorsement made by the Foreign Office on his passport reads “Not valid for China,” this lias abruptly ended the scheme of Captain Livingstone Learmouth, a descendant of David Livingstone, the African explorer. to take out a small party of gentlemen adventurers for the purpose of fighting under Chang Tso-lin in the anti-lted campaign. Fifteen or sixteen ex-officers had already joined the party, and a cable had been sent to Chang offering their services, but the passport office demanded Captain Learmouth’s passport and sent it to the Foreign Office, which endorsed it as invalid, intimating that passports to China were only being issued under special CTCumstances.— A. and N.Z. cable.

POLICY OF NEUTRALITY. MAINTAINED BY BRITAIN. RUGBY. April 7. During the debate on China in the House of Comons last night Colonel Wedgwood (Labour) asked whether the policy of complete neutrality as between the North and the South in China, which had been observed by the British forces in Shanghai, would be observed also ns between any rival parties among the Nationalist forces. To this Sir Austen Chamberlain reElied: “His Majesty’s Government ave no intention of being drawn .into a Chinese civil war whatever form it may assume.” —British official wireless.