STRIKE AGITATION

Northern Advocate, 23 June 1925, Page 5

STRIKE AGITATION

CANTON CONNIVANCE !

UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS [

MAD STAMPEDE CAUSED.

(Received 10.40 a.m.) SHANGHAI, June 22.

The fourth day of the general Chinese stiike in Hongkong is witnessing conditions unparalleled in its history. Through secret organisations financed from Canton the Chinese in BritisK end foreign employ have been intimidated in a manner dislocating shipping,, commercial and domestic life, emphar sising Canton's connivance at the antiBritish movement. The secretary of the Chinese Seamen's Union declared in an English; newspaper: "The Union has no sympathy with the movement, but is acting on orders from Canton." The strikers generally admit have nj grievances against their employers and were tin willing- to leave fheilp serviee; nevertheless agitators styled the "Dare-to-die Corps" have terrorised tho Chinese populace, resulting in a senseless, frantic stampede to? j Canton. All available trains and Chi- : nese steamers are crowded. On the other hand the Hongkong authorities state that they are fully prepared to meet every emergency, assuring essential services.—Reuter. STRAINED RELATIONS. MARTIAL LAW PENDING. (Received 12.15 p.m.) PEKIN, June 22. At Sv/a-tow. Amoy and Foo-chow the situation is fair. Demonstrations are continuing, but the strikes are not spreading. At Yang-Tse-kiang ports the position is unchanged. Coolies at Wuhu assaulted the Japanese Salt Commissioner, whom thej Chinese police thereupon arrested on a of being in possession of arms. At Hoi-how and Hai-nan Island there is great unrest. Anti-foreign agitation and strained relations between students and the Chamber of Commerce are revealed in extremist propaganda partly directed against the Chamber, while the moderate strikers suggest reopening if the shops and banks will adequately contribute to the cost of the strike. Chinese reports state that Chang Hsueh-liang will shortly declare martial law in the districts adjoining thd settlement of Hongkong. On , the recommendation of a leading British banker the Stock Exchange settlement has been postponed till further notice because of tho heavy withdrawal of funds from the Native banks by Chinese going ttf Canton, resulting in a wholesale withdrawal of credits necessary for negotiating a settlement. —A. and N.Z. "HAND OF MOSCOW." EMBASSY RAIDED. /: INTIMIDATION TACTICS. i J (Received 1.40 p.m.) I PARIS, June 22. i A large party of youths made a sudden swoop upon the Chinese Legation headquarters in Paris and | forced the Ambassador to sign, among other documents, a proclamation assuring the Chinese people that he sympathised with them in their struggle against foreign Imperialists. The police arrested one of the invaders, who apparently were nearly all Chinese workmen, seemingly hailing from all the provinces of China. The Legation beJ'«ves that the motive of the raiders was patriotic, on the ground that Chinese diplomats

i were not taking active enough steps to submit Chinese demands for emancipation from foreign control to the Government to which they are aecre-» dited. The members of the Legation depre* cate the methods adopted as harmful Ito the Chinese cause arid emphasise I that the raiders in no way represent the whole of the Chinese colony Paris, but rather a group affiliated extremists in China. The Legation suspeets that nonChinese elements were behind the coup, which had evidently been most carefully planned. They hint that the hand of Moscow is possibly working again. French police are inquiring into the* matter and interesting revelations are possible.—Reuter.