THE WAR IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19512, 16 December 1926, Page 13

THE WAR IN CHINA.

CONTROL IN THE SOUTH. GRIP OF CANTONESE TROOPS. SOVIET INFLUENCE DEVELOPS. By Telesraph—Press Association— Copyright. A. and N.Z. PEKING, Dec. 14. All possibility of ousting the Cantonese troops from the \angtse Valley and tho control of Southern China as far as Canton is lost. The seat of the Southern Government has been definitely established at Wuchang, where the Cabinet has already assembled. The rigours of winter are halting the military moves of the Southerners. - They" are consolidating in the Wuhan cities in anticipation of the long struggle necessary to complete their establishment of control in China early in the spring. There are now strong opposing forces striving for supremacy in Central China. One is under Borodin, the' Soviet envoy, who is travelling the length and breadth of the Yangt.se Valley conducting a campaign against foreigners, advocating the abrogation of the Sino-Foreign Treaties and the overthrow of the British. This campaign is opposed by Mr. Miles Lampson, British Minister, who is striving to combat this Soviet propaganda by a conciliatory policy. CANTONESE RED ARMY. BOLSHEVIKS TAKE CONTROL. LONDON. Dee. 5, Europeans and Chinese everywhere realise that the Hankow sirike, with its impossible demands, including a 50 f,cr cent, increase in wages, is a fresh attack on foreign influence* the instigators aiming at the capture of Shanghai, the complete Red domination of South China, and the extinction of British commerce. The Cantonese Red Army's victorious sweep has profoundly impressed >he Chinese, and has caused extreme tension and nervousness among foreigners The Reds' success has been chiefly due to the troops' discipline and the absence of looting, the Russian leaders insisting on first occupying and disarming districts before making their demands. Vanguards of Russian-trained Chinese propagandists, using speeches from Moscow text-books, promising liberation from the foreigners, are very active in the Southern Yangtse Valley, which will be the next military objective. The effect of the propaganda has been felt even in Shanghai, where Europeans are preparing to cope with another and better organised general strike, based on purely political grounds, as is Hankow's. . Meanwhile, in the completely subjugated districts Red commissars have replaced the local Governments. Religious buildings are being confiscated and sold to replenish the war chests; but masses of the Chinese, being ignorant of these developments, are'ready to accept the Cantonese authority in preference to suffering from the brigandage of other so-called armies. The only hope of stemming the Red Army's progress is by the advance of Northern Anti-Bolsheviks, including hundreds of White Russian troops, but they are still inactive. The Europeans at Hankow are laying in food supplies, and on Friday night sent armed guards to bring in meat that had been in cold storage, in the old . German Concession, which the Chinese have occupied. ________