SOVIET PROPAGANDA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 10

SOVIET PROPAGANDA.

ITS INFLUENCE IN CHINA. (See Illustration in This Issue.) Some interesting sidelights on the recent unrest < in China were disclosed at the Dominion Missionary Conference on Wednesady by the Rev. G. H. M‘Neur (senior Presbyterian missionary of the Canton Villages Mission). Mr M‘Neur said that the theological college in which he had been a teacher for 10 years, was the training ground or missionaries of all denominations—an experiment which had been found to be a great success. He believed that, for many reasons. China, one of New Zealand’s near neighbours in the Pacific, would occupy a prominent place in the world’s stage within the next 30 vears, and Australia, which helped to fill almost half o. the gap between New Zealand and China, would be no buffer between the two countries. A prominent authority had once been asked what were the bottom facts regarding China, and had given the reply that in regard to China there was no bottom and there were no facts China’s present difficulties, said the speaker, were mainly political, and the people there were a.eustomed to an autocratic and almost theocratic Government. Thus they had no real training in national or international affairs. The revolution had been very complete, and it would be readilv understood that at the present time China was in a state of chaos owing to all the radical changes which had taken place. All the troubles which had beset other countries were multiplied in China, and none of the leaders seemed to have any idea of reconstruction. Their eenius seemed to lie more in the line of destroying the old, and at present China sadl.v lacked a modem leader who could assist in rebuilding the country. Nevertheless, something had come out of all this chaos, and although the one leader had not been found, the Chinese nation had become more united. Mr M'Neur went on to tell of the case of a procession of Chinese which was passing through the foreign concession in Canton. The parade had been fired on by emissaries of the Soviet, with the result that those in the procession had retaliated and fired volley after volley into the foreign concession. The European troops in '* e district had returned the fire, with the result that the anti-British rage which had been slumbering in the hearts of the Chinese broke out afresh, and to this dav it w: almost an iniiDOssibilitv to convince ir v Chinese that the incident, which was originally a diabolical lot of the Soviet Government, was not due to the British. Unfortunately this happening ' had been the cause of a strong boveott against everything British, and in and around Canton British trade wan at a standstill. The British Government had shown admirable restraint in this matter, and there could be no doubt that in time to come we should all thank them '* for th ; fl restraint. Another matter which China was feeling deeply was the lack of Customs facilities iml reciprocity with other countries. Whereas Japan could tax impor' of Chinese goods to the extent of 100 per cent., yet Japanese material could be brought into China at. n tariff of 5 per cent. China wa* also asking for extra territorial privileges, which meant that foreigner-* could be iudged under Chinese law and by Chinese magistrates rather than by their wn consulates. There could be no question- said the sneaker, that there would be no peace u 1 China was allowed to he mistress in her own house. The Chinese also wanted the return of the foreign concessions, stretches of leased land in which the Chinese law was powerless to act, and where an Englishman or a Frenchman was immune from punishment hr the Chinese Government. As another instance of the anti-British propaganda which was being spread. Mr M‘\eur mentioned the case of the Canton Mission Hospital—the oldest mission hospital in the world, which was opened over 80 years ago. When he left Canton, he said, this hospital was standing empty wiih he gates and doors strongly picketed. During the heat of the trouble last summer many thine\s had been said and written by some of the Christian Chinese, and by the missionaries, too, for which thev were now sorrv hut 1 e was glad to sav that things in Canton at present were very much hefter. and a movement wns on foo* wbereb” all mission work, evangelistic, medical, and industrial. would shortlv be done in the closest co-operation with and under the direction of the Chinese Church. It was to be honed that New Zealand would wake cn and take part in the evangelisation of China.