NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1927 CHINA AND MOSCOW

Northern Advocate, 7 April 1927, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1927 CHINA AND MOSCOW

Registered for transmission through the post as a newspaper.

Outstanding among the messages from China published today is one which records a raid on the Soviet Embassy at Peking. The significance of the raid lies in the fact that it was carried out by Chang Tso-lin's troops on the authorisation of the Diplomatic Corps. The Russian Charge D 'Affaires was detained, a number of Russians and Chinese arrested and a machine gun, some rifles and a quantity of ammunition discovered. This dramatic incident brings once more into prominence the question: What part is the Soviet playing in the Chinese drama? Russia, of course, professes disinterestedness in the antiWestern, but particularly anti-British, policy of China, and there are those who prefer to accept the Soviet's assertions rather than the evidence which obviously disproves it. Why should the Soviet try to use China as an instrument to destroy Britain? According to Mr J. L. Garvin, who contributes a long article on "China and Moscow" in the latest number of the "Observer" to reach Whangarei, the idea that the British Empire can be fatally injured in China is the very last hope for the theory of worldrevolution already crushed in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and elsewhere, Hot to mention the United States. "The destiny of Russia itself," ■writes Mr Garvin, "is being 1 fought out in China. Bolshevist failure there would do more than any other factor whatever to complete the stabilisation of the world. The future of Germany, for instance, depends on the Russo-Chinese sequel more than anything else. All who follow these things closely are well aware that the calculations of the German monarchists and militarists rest upon the

assumption that Bolshevist and Nationalist forces together will ruin the British Empire in Asia; and that Russia will then help to overthrow the existing system in Europe. This is the old dream of insuperable antagonism between Britain and Russia. The dream is as false as it ever was; but until it is finally dispelled, no solid confidence in the preservation of peace can exist 1 in Europe. ” It is in the light of the larger issues that the raid on the Soviet headquarters at Peking becomes so weighty a matter.