THE SHANGHAI RIOTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19498, 5 June 1925, Page 8

THE SHANGHAI RIOTS.

The riots at Shanghai may be regarded as a reflection of the generally unsettled conditions obtaining in China at the present time. There seems to bo no doubt that the disturbances, in which thousands of Chinese students and workers have been participating, wear an “anti-foroign” complexion. The consular authorities have had to take steps for the protection of the interests which they represent, while the Note to the Powers framed by the Foreign Office at Poking suggests that China is very well content to make it appear that this “deplorable incident” is attributable to external influences taking effect in international concessions. The Central Government in China speaks, however, with a measure of authority so limited as to be almost negligible. Events in China since the beginning of the present year have illustrated the chaotic condition of the country. That condition is entirely favourable to outbreaks of lawlessness and demonstrations against foreigners. It may be some small consolation to the other Powers that have interests in China to note that Japan is specially named in the Renunciations accompanying the Shanghai disturbances against external interference and foreign Imperialism. Within recent months an active and rapidly-growing anti-foreign and anti-Christian movement has been reported to be in progress in China, the two elements being said to be more or less closely allied. Demands for the abrogation of the old treaties impairing the sovereignty of the Chinese Republic have been accompanied by denunciation of extraterritoriality, the Conventional tariff, and the terms of the Boxer protocol of 1901, while, especially among radical

politicians and the student class, there has been condemnation of the work of the Christian missionaries and the schools under their direction. Not long ago the Peking correspondent of The Times drew an arresting picture of the chaos, anarchy, and disintegration in China with the country in the hands of the militarists, and express d the opinion that the republic was fast becoming a problem for the Powers interested in the Pacific and an international danger. Within the last few days The Times has been emphatically reminding the treaty Powers of their responsibilities in relation to China and pointing to the folly of their remaining mere passive, depressed spectators instead of co-operating to rid the country of the incubus of civil war. The state of affairs at Shanghai, one of the great ports, not only of China, but of the world, certainly seems indicative of a situation that is likely to go from had to worse unless some remedial action is taken.