SHANGHAI AT MERCY OF VICTORIOUS CANTONESE

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3538, 21 February 1927, Page 7

SHANGHAI AT MERCY OF VICTORIOUS CANTONESE

General Strike in City to Help Advancing Reds

Northern Army Becomes Helpless Rabble

! By Electric Cable—Copyright.—Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association. I

(Received Saqday, 5.5 p.m.)

SHANGHAI, Feb. 18.

Thousands of refugees are pouring in from the waxstricken areas, Including hundreds of deserting soldiers. ' - - The Anti-Red Army is momentarily expected to break-up and flee to Shanghai. It’s morale has been struck vitally by Kuomintang propaganda. .■ The municipal authorities are taking every precaution to prevent entry into the Settlement. Pickets on the boundaries are - disarming soldiers on entering.

ANTI-RED DEBACLE. NOT UNEXPECTED. SHANGHAI, Feb. 18. The antl-Red debacle is • not surprising, General Sun Chuan-fang’s army ..consisting of rabble enlisting • for the purpose of loot. General Sun is frantically establish- , ing defences 60 miles from Shanghai . hoping to check the Beds. Japanese reports state that he is (. prepared to compromise "with the Reds in regard to Shanghai in order to avoid fighting. Several high officials have fled to Japan as the result of developments'. Others are taking refuge, with the ' Chinese. The Defence Commissioners’ manifesto denies that General Sun haji .has been beaten, and states that he is prepared ‘to defend Shanghai to the last man. Hangchow railway la a scene of confusion. - Only military trains are running.. Local .Cantonese are jubilant at the turn -of events and are : planning demonstrations to celebrate them from which' trouble may be expected. The situation only needs a spark to start a serious conflagration. British troops arrived in the nick of time and are considered sufficient for any situation that may arise. Secret meetings of pro-Canton groups are.'hcld dally. Labour Unions are feverishly agitating for a general strike. Triple Danger To Shanghai. Shanghai has to face a danger of threefold character—retreating troops, advancing conquerors, and mobs Within the city.. . The length of the Settlement houndaryss makes' them as difficult to guara as the guarding of the Foreign Settlement. A mob of 50,000 .could pour, into the Settlement at a hundred different points on all sides. ■ British forces are stationed at inost Important public utilities in ppeclallyeroctcd huts. Seaplanes from British warships reconnoitre the Chinese military lines. Tommies Through Streets. Three route marches by Tommies And Navals with fixed bayonets daily through the Settlement streets of Shanghai' had a salutary effect on the natives.' , • It la estimated that 70 per cent, of Britons In China are In Shanghai, the protection of the British army and navy synchronising with General Sun Chuan-fang’s reverse at Che-kiang. The' general Labour Union has called a general strike to enforce ■ jts demand for the evacnation of Shanghai by both General Sun Chnau-fang’s troops and British troops. All employees at the Post Office struck; also tramwaymen and ’busmen, in tbe French Concession, arid cotton workers in '■ all, British mills and some Japanese. The movement is developing. At present the strikers number 40.0a0. . A postmen’s strike-picket - staves lined the entrance to the General Post Office and attempted to prevent the Indoor staff from entering or working. Subsequently tho Postal Commissioner who is an Englishman decided to clpse the Post Office till Monday In order to prevent immediate trouble and confusion- Later in the day the police took the staves from the strikers. , Strike Expands Generally. Four hundred mill strikers entered tho British Cigarette Company's factory In the International Settlement which employs a thousand workers, and attempted to intimidate the latter Into. striking. As a precautionary measure the management thought it wise to close down the factory for the time being. Tho three biggest Chinese stores in the centre of the International Settlement employing thousands of assistants among whom there have been some trouble recently also closed. , A seamen’s strike also started in the French Concession. The watersiders’ strike has caused a shortage in some districts.' . , Volunteers Mobilised. All British troops are confined to quarters in . case . of eventualities. Volunteers aro mobilised although not concentrated. Tho special police have been called out. Th* latest reports from Che-kiang state that the Northerners are retreating upon Sun-kiang looting en route. General Sun sent many appeals to Marshal Chang Sun Chang imploring

his assistance but so far there has been no response. JAPANESE CRUISER ON WAY TO SHANGHAI. HANGCHOW NEWS ALARMS DIET. (Received Sunday, 5.5 p.m.) TOKYO, Feb. 18. ’ The cruiser Hirato has been ordered to hasten to Shanghai from Tslngtao following alarming reports regarding Hangchow. Discussing the Japanese position in China BarOn Shldehara, ‘the Foreign Minister, told the Diet that Japan would maintain perfect, harmony with the other ■ powers in dealing with China/ ■ ■ ■, i HANKOW AGREEMENT READY TO SIGN, 1 PREVIOUS DIFFERENCES Adjusted. . (Received Sunday, 6.5 p.m.) LONDON,/Feb. 19. Mr. Smallwood, the “Daily Telegraph's” Pekin correspondent, telegraphing i on Friday night, says that there is /good .reason to believe that the Hankow agreement is again ready for signature, previous differences having been adjusted. AMERICA VIEWS STRIKE WITH APPREHENSION. MAY MEAN L'INDING TROOPS. (Received Sunday, 11 p.m.) . WASHINGTON, Feb. 19. The general strike at Shanghai is viewed here .with real anxiety in view of the ■ possibility of mob-violence menacing the safety of foreigners, a development which if It should effect the well-being of Americans will lead to the landing of American bluejackets and marines. No one here will attempt to predict the consequences of such a step. Despatches to the State Department describe the strike, but contain no forecast of possible results. Experts here bold the' opinion that so far as military objectives are concerned Shanghai will do the Cantonese little good, if they do not control the Yangtse River.. For this reason Nanking and other river cities are considered to be the real military objectives of the. Nationalists.