STATE OF CHAOS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16297, 23 March 1927, Page 7

STATE OF CHAOS

I BLOODSHED IN SHANGHAI CANTONESE LET LOOSE VALUE OF BRITISH TROOPS (Eke. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.! (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association-I (Received March 21!, 11 a.m.) LONDON, March 22. The news received in official quarters dealing with the latest happenings in Shanghai, :is usual, is behind the press cable messages, bill it is claimed the reports of unfortunate incidents accompanying the occupation by the Cantonese which have already been received fully justify the presence of the British defence force. It is contended that without, it the troubles would have been much more serious.

Downing Street does not expect diplomatic, developments or negotiations in Shanghai for some time, as a chance must be given the new regime to settle down.

Despite the declaration of a threedays"' strike to celebrate the success of the Cantonese, and to-day's news oi' the shootings, official quarters exonerate the Southern forces from responsibility for most of the troubles. Indeed, they credit the Cantonese leaders with the sincerest efforts to maintain order. British Government quarters welcome the fnternational Council's renewal of the offer of Chinese representation, as well as the insistence that this cannot be done until the agitation stirring up class hatred and racial prejudice subsides. Downing Street's attitude is to await a calmer situation under the new controllers before opening pourparlers in reference to the international settlements. NO ANTI-FOREIGN GESTURE BUT CELEBRATION OF VICTORY QUESTIONS IN COMMONS (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received March 23, .1.1 a.m.) LONDON, March 22. Mr. Baldwin referred to tho situation in Shanghai in the course of a reply to Mr. Ramsay MacDouald in tho House of Commons. 'He said thai a general strike for three days had been declared in celebration of the Nationalist victory, and was) not an anti-foreign gesture. It included public utility workers. When the Punjabis were proceeding to their posts in motor lorries they were attacked by gunmen, ho added. One Sepoy was killed and another seriously wounded. Their assailants escaped. A state of emergency had been declared by the municipality. Naval and military forces had been allotted for the purposes of internal security at tho request of the municipal authorities, and armed guards had becu provided for foreign property on municipal roads beyond .the cordon. Tho Royal Marines had landed on the river front opposite Shanghai. Mr. Mae Donald: Were the Punjabis attacked inside or outside the settlement. Mr. Baldwin: I believe they were inside the cordon, but outside the international settlement. Mr. G. M. Garro-Jones asked: "Is there any form of diplomatic contract with the Cantonese?'' Mr. Baldwin:. The Consul-General at Shanghai is in constant touch with Colonel Ward,, his representative, who is likely to get in touch with cither side and has plenty of friends. That is the best way of settling any matter. Mr. H. E. Crawford : Has there been any threat on the civil population? Mr. Baldwin: That entirely depends on what, you mean by threat. You must remember that the settlement is seething with mobs that may become out of order. Replying further Baldwin said that in such a kaleidescopic situation thev had to gat into diplomatic touch with whoever they could. SETTLEMENT SHELLED NORTHERN TROOPS BREAK CORDON SECOND SERIOUS FIRE (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.' (Received March 23, 10 a.m.) SHANGHAI, March 22. Northern troops estimated at several hundred strong broke-the barriers and cordon of the northern portion of tho international settlement and rushed tho alleyways, which were weakly held by British troops. They previously attempted to break through, but were repulsed by the Durhams. So far no British casualties have been reported. Several shells dropped in the international settlement this afternoon, and struck the police station, the American Bank, the Nankins road, an apartment house in, the centre of the settlement, and various small buildings. The casualties are not known. A second conflagration has started in the native quarter, bigger than yesterdav's. The roof tops of the settlement buildings are crowded with thousands watching the flames and dense columns ■of smoke envelop the settlement, the fire spreading rapidly. Thousands of panic-stricken natives are storming the barracks and fleeing from the flames. It is believed that the shells were directed at the crowds on the roof tops. INDISCRIMINATE SHOOTING (Australian and N.Z Cable Association.' SHANGHAI, March p. All the native police' stations were set afire by Southern agents, the fire extending over four city blocks. Chinese fire brigades were unable to cope with it, and the settlement brigade did not assist, fearing; that the firemen would be sniped. The fire raged unchecked throughout the whole night, rendered thousands homeless, and destroyed important institutions. Shots and machine gun fire resounded from the quarter nil night. Many on both sides, were killed. The streets are deserted by civilians. In anticipation of the trouble spreading, the coolies are busy erecting additional barricades in the main streets. The main Cantonese army, which recently has been concentrating for (he attack on "Nanking, is now astride the Shanghai-Nanking railway, 30 miles north of Shanghai, thus cutting off a portion of the niiti-"Rcds," who refused to join the South, and preferred to evacuate Shanghai, These include White Russians, and the Shantung army, many of whom have .deserted and have returned, and are

sheltering in the foreign settlements.

General Duncan has ordered the lines facing the "Reds" to be extended two miles Additional armored cars are due from Hongkong.

DESTRUCTION OP CONVENT A shell burst iu the Roman Catholic convent, which is believed to have been burned to the ground. The fate of children housed it in, including some foreigners, is unknown. Thus far none had been brought within the settlement.

Chinese newspapers report that lf>oo houses were destroyed in the native quarter by fires his,, night. Shanghai is unwashed, as tho natives quitted the waterworks at. daylight. Russian refugee residents are volunteering to restore the service. Trams and buses and a majority of the public services remain idle. The strikers are estimated at 200,000. Snipers are still busy. Plainclothes Cantonese guerillas penetrated the barricade at the northern district and murdered a prominent antiKuomintang officer in cold blood in the street of the international settlement this morning. They were pursued by soldiers and police. A street. fight ensued, bullets flying. They wounded three civilians. The murderers escaped to Chinese territory. Shantung troops are sacking the Chinese portion of the city, where a reign of terror prevails. The evacuation of foreign women and children from Nanking commenced at daylight to-day.

CONTINUOUS WARFARE Hankow reports that all Chinese employees of foreign banks struck yesterday, the banks consequently closing. Foreign-owned motor cars were perforated with bullets. In the sniping area at Shanghai the firing is indiscriminate. Every pas-ser-by is treated to pot shots. British soldiers living on the boundaries are replying to snipers from sandbag barriers. It is impossible to tally/the casualties.

Despite the barrier the native refugees arc entering the settlements. The streets are littered with dead and headless bodies as the result of continuous guerilla warfare between the Cantonese and Northerners.

The Shantung army fled to the settlement overnight, giving up its rifles and ammunition on entering. It declared it was willing to continue to fight the Cantonese, but was deserted by the Chinese troops themselves.

The main Canton army continues its victorious advance along the Shanghai-Nanking railway, sweeping towards Shanghai and Nanking border .in an attempt to complete the capture of all territory south of the Yangtse. "REDS" TAKE SOOCHQW

The Southern army has occupied Soochow.

Foreigners in the streets of Shanghai are being subjected to indignities, including spitting in their faces, stoning, and pelting from windows. An Englishman, walking in the street with his wife, was twice shot at with a revolver, but was missed. The latest development is a strike of employees in the foreign press offices of the international settlement. The eeriest scene on the settlement boundaries all night long was the British Tommies taking turns to man machine guns pointed at groups of Shantung troops on the other side of the boundary. \

A ghastly sight was witnessed early this morning when a party of "White" Russians, deserting from the Northern forces, asked for admission and were allowed to enter the settlement, but one decided to return to Wow up an armored ear lost it fall into the hands of the Southerners. Ten minutes later ho tried to re-enter the settlement with a companion, hut the Shantung soldiers stopped them, forced them to kneel by the roadway and beheaded them, the heads being mockingly stuck on pickets within a few yards of the British machine guns. Meantime shooting has continued incessant] y. RUSSIA JUBILANT IMPRESSIVE CELEBRATIONS lElec. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assn. (Australian und N.Z. Cable Association. MOSCOW, March 22. • News of the capture of Shanghai by workers in revolt led to spontaneous meetings at the mills and factories, which developed into impressive processions to the city. Numerous demonstrations also took place in Leningrad, Kharkov, Odessa, Kioi'f and elsewhere. The newspaper.lsvestia says victory will consolidate the position _ of the Luomintang. The Towers will have now to choose between an agreement with or struggle against the National revolutionary movement. j BRITAIN'S PART OTHERS LOOK ON I i REFUGEES IN CHINA ] SYDNEY, March 14. ! Mr. llobt. Sleosoi',. a Sydney business man, who lias been trading' in Hunan Province, China, for eight years, deI feuded Britain's policy in China in an. interview. Mr. Stessor was stationed ai Changsha, the capital of the province, 2000 miles from Hankow, and found the position too dangerous to allow of further trading. On January 13 the British residents, including many women" and children, were confined on a small island, and were, not allowed to go to their offices which were looted, despite protests by the British Consul. "Britain is aiding refugees to safety," said Mr. Slessor, "and is doing this I irrespective of nationality; while the I American, French, Herman, and other i navies are content to sit back and do nothing. British bui iness men alone are . being boycotted, making it unsafe for them to live in the couutry, and the Chinese who take put in raids on the homes of foreigners are actuated more by desire for loot than by an idea ot personal violence." IN DIRE TROUBLE. The Britishers were boycotted, and were forced to live solely on tinned foods. Those Britishers who lived near foreigners were able to 'smuggle a little fresh food to their home's. When Mr. Slessor left Changsha on January 31 about 14 Britishers were left* on the island. The position at Hankow wan so serious when he passed that none of bis party of refugees were allowed to land, and all were obliged to tranship into a bigger jdcamer. People who came nboard tin's vessel odd that business in Hankow, as far as the Britishers were concerned, was stagnant. It was ju«f about that time that the agreement with Mr. O'Malley (the British Charge d'Affaires) was rejected In Shanghai things were quiet on the surface, but strikes were expected. The residents had taken umple precautions, and barricades, trenches, and barbed wire entanglements had been erected on the border of the settlement. Mr. Slessor praised the- work being

clone by British gunboats in a'-din" refugees* from dangerous zones, and criticised the action of other foreign ships, which had* :ot made one effort to aid their nationals. "Britain is paying out all'the time' he said. "The British Fleet Navy is i" charge of the Yangtso river for 10CO miles from the sea coast, and British ships are sololv assisting in (he evacuation. It k not because all or the majority of tho refugees are British. Only a small per?entage l are British. Of the 170 people who came down to Shanghai by my ship 140 were foreigners."