CHAOS IN CHINA

Otago Witness, Issue 3763, 27 April 1926, Page 33

CHAOS IN CHINA

AN OUTRAGE AVENGED. SHANGHAI. April 20. The Peking correspondent of the North China DaUj News says that prior to the Kuominchun evacuation the extremists persuaded the communders to exterminate the Cabinet Guards at the office; who fired on the students on March 18. The Guards were taken out beyond the Yellow Temple and were shot with machine guns, only rive out of 400 escaping. SOVIET PROPAGANDA. AUCKLAND, April 21. After serving for 25 years as a missionary in China and latterly as director of the department of practical training at the Union Theological College at Canton, the Rev. George M’Neur, formerlv of Otago, arrived last evening by the Ulimaroa from Sydney. Mr M'Neur, who is Moderator elect of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, has now finished his missionary work. In an interview, he expressed the opinion that, directed by the Russian Soviet, the anti-British boycott in China had developed into a serious problem. The

boycott movement, lie said, was directed politically, economically, and commercially by a small group of Russian Soviet ad v ers stationed in Canton. The Chinese claimed that these Soviet advisers were merely their servants, but there was no doubt that they exercised a great influence in the campaign. In-addition the Soviet h°d its officials directing the army, navy and air forces. The head of the Russian Mission was General Burosdin, who was a 'ery capable man. He was directing the anti-British propaganda and making it severely effective. These Russian officials had no regard for the truth so long as they could hurt British trade and influence. “If their propaganda were lifted I have nod'ubt the boycott .vould almost immediately cease, ?” said Mr M'Neur, “because the people generally are not anti British, nor even anti-foreign, especially the rner chant classes, who, as a matter of fact, are friendly.” Mr M'Neur went on to speak of the had influence the boycott was having on British trade and expressed the opinion that it would be a long time before it recovered in South China.