SITUATION IN CHINA

Stratford Evening Post, Volume LVV, Issue 18, 25 January 1927, Page 5

SITUATION IN CHINA

! INDEPENDENCE DEMANDED A TRUCULENT SPEECH. FOREIGNERS STILL MOLESTED. Prcsi Association—Copyright, Australian ..'.-.', and NZ. Cable Association. :.:'. (Received 9.30 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 24. Eugene Chen the Nationalist Foreign Minister has authorised a statement which explains Britain's despatch of troops to China. Ex parte, he says "the question is not what Britain and the Powers wish to grant to China, in order to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Chinese, but, What China may justly grant to Britain and the others, J whose regime of international fate j of all historical systems of political The system of international con- j trol, as known to the Foreign Im- I perialist, has necessarily involved such a limitation of Chinese Sever- '. eignty, economic, judicial and politi- j cal, that real independence has not been enjoyed in China since England imposed the Nanking Treaty. Therefore it s historically true to state that the British having defeated China in an opium war have reprived her of her independence. CHINA REMEMBERS. Englishmen of the present generation, have perhaps forgotten, but. | Nationalist China with the eld iron J of defeat in her flesh, remembers, j China's dominent aim to-day is the recovery of the independence she lost at the hands of the British in the opium war. Until this is accomplished there cannot be real peace between the Chinese Nationalist and British Imperialism. A nation which is not dying cannot be at peace with its conqueror, but will strike at the selected moment. The selected moment of Chinese Nationalism came when at Shanghai on May 30 British controlled rifles were ordered to shoot to kill Chinese students, on Chinese soil, and when following the further killing of students and others by foreigners at Canton and elsewhere in June the economic weapon was 'forged by Chinese Nationalism. In the South' China the struggle has spread continuously, and will not cease until complete independence has been won. ' INDIAN TROOPS TO GO. . < (Received 9.30 a.m.) The War Office has officially announced that the Government of India is arranging to despatch to Shanghai, two British and two Indian battalions. ARMOURED OARS TO GO. (Received 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, January 24. An armoured car company consisting of 130 officers and men, and belonging to the Royal Tank Corps, has been ordered to bo ready to leave for China. WATCHFUL WAITING. (Received N"on). f&nn cable). WASHINGTON, January 24. ',

Admiral Williams has reported that 26 American warships in Chinese waters are converging on Shanghai. Tho American missionaries and business men from the interior are hurrying to Shanghai expecting to ombuTl*'-.'for foreign ports if native demonstrations continue. Tho United States Government views the situation in the lrenewed -orders to American commanders] to avoid unnecessary force, wbirn. might stimulate the rioters further. A ?tnc/et.ber the Administration is pdonting a Policy of watchful waiting. There are fifteen thousand Americans in Shanghai. POSITION SERIOUS. (Received Noon.) CHANGHAI, January 24, In view of developments pending at Shanghai a large Japanese naval force is reported to have been secretly despatched to Chinese waters, and to have anchored at the mouth of the Yangtso, Several British merchant ships with troops from HongKong are probably off the coast developments. The seriousness of the situation lias long been realised by local residents, but is only now apparently being realised by, the Home Government, and judging by the large troop departures from England and India.

The Chinese extremists have started a movement, to combat which international co-operation is imperitive. Alone, China would be unable to achieve a victory of extremists arms, but might be successful with Soviet assistance.

The Japanese News Agency supports the early report that Soviet troops are massing on the Manchurian frontier. The purpose is not clear. The Shanghai local authorities are appealing to foreigners to join a volunteer corps. The Americans are showing reluctance to resist the socalled Chinese nationalist movements. -A white Russian unit has been formed. TO PAY SURTAX. (Received 11.15 a.m.) CHANGHAI, January 24. The British legation advises British anerfjfiants to pay the per cent, surtax now being levied at Shanghai, and the live per cent, luxury surtax when it is impossible. MASSING OF TROOPS. (Received 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, January 24. The war office has announced the formation of a Shanghai Defence Force of twelve batta'ions, including Coldstream Guards, also an armoured car, company which will proceed to China as soon as the transports are ready. The Star points out that reinforcements dispatched to China' arc ordered to be in readiness

to sail, a total of sixteen thousand, comprising twelve brigades and ln- ' dian Line Battalions each 890 strong, and a thousand marines, tour cruisers, two gunboats, and two destroyers are en route and two destroyers* flotillas preparing to leave. lIEI> ATROCITIES. (Received 10.55 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 22. Light is thrown on Soviet troop movements on the Manchuria bo;"- . der by the arrest and execution of General Yang-chow, adviser to Chang-tso-lin, when the Soviet coup, to overthrow the Mukden War Lord was frustrated. Documents seized revealed a huge scheme involviug the Soviet military plana to capture three Eastern provinces and exterminate Chang, and also to construct, a huge arsenal located at Harbin, for the distribution of arms to the followers of Yang-chow. Prior to his execution, Yang-chow was tortured and revealed the entire plot implicating Soviet officials at Peking and elsewhere. Japanese and other diplomatic circles view the matter seriously. The Hankow incident is now regarded us of secondary importance. WORKERS' DECISION. SYDNEY, This Day. (Received 9.55 a.m.) The annual congress of the Australian Workers' Union discussed the possibility of an attempt being made to recruit a contingent of volunteers for service in China, and decided that should an attempt be made, the Federal Council of the Aubtralian Workers' Union would organise no intervention campaign throughout the Commonwealth. BOLSHEVIK INFLUENCE. LONDON, January 24. The British should realise that it is futile to negotiate with Chen "as wo have the fullest evidence that the Bolsheviks are supplying; the Nation-* alists with munitions and funds. Russian schools are springing up everywhere in the south," said Marshall Chang Tso Lin in an interview withtho Daily Express' Pekin correspondent. Continuing ho stated":' "We in Northern China are not waging war on Southern China, but we are engaged in a struggle agaiiist Bolshevism, We have eight hundred thousand to a million men under arms, and wo earnestly hope for the moral support and encouragement of. Britain." FURTHER OUTRAGES. PEKING. January 24. Reports from Foochow state thatfifty more Americans have been sent to. iuanila by a gunboat. Two American doctors were severely beaten «t the Foochow streets. Two ladies were, attacked in a Church of England school and driven into the street, most of their clothes being ripped off. Thev were surrounded by an infuriated mob, but. managed to escape through the south gate ultimately reaching a Catholic foundling homo. Thev were later escorted to a foreign settlement at Nantai. JAPAN'S VIEWPOINT. CHANGES SUDDENLY. TOKIO, January 24. No special orders have been issued to the navy, and no consular warn r ings given to' tho Japanese nationals. Japan declines a British suggestion to co-operate in a show of force in China, refusing to admit that the situation is critical. Later. The Tbkio Navy Department announces the despatch of four destroyers for Shanghai to uay on receipt of word of a mor 6 threatening situation. FULL INDEPENDENCE. PEKING, January 24. The Nationalist Government at Hankow has issued a declaration stating that British and other Powers in their declarations of policy regarding China assume that China is not able to look after her own interests, hurt this is not true of Nationalist China, which is strong and conscious of its power and its ability to enforce its will by economic means on Chinese soil against any Power. The dominant aim of Chinese Nationalism is the recovery of 'China's full .independence, until when there can be no real peace between Chinese Nationalism and British Imperialism. I The Nationalist Government, while asserting and enforcing Chinese authority, will nob disregard considerations df right of justice due to foreign Nationalists. The effective protection of foreign life and property can no. longer rest on foreign bayonets liiid foreign gunboats. However, tho Nationalist Government believes the liberation of China from the vc*Cs of foreicpi Imperialism need necessarily involve any armed conflict, for the reason that the Nationalist Govj ernment prefers to have all the questions outstanding settled by negotiaj tion. and declares its readiness to negotiate separately with any of the I Powers for the settlement of treaty and other cognate questions on the basis of economic equality and mutual respect of each other's political and territorial sovereignty. ARMY ACTIVITY. LONDON. January 23. There is great activity at York, the

headquarters of 'the Northern Command, where four , battalions are ■under orders. A total of seven ba.tr talions, apart from the marines, are now standing by. A NOTE OF CAUTION. PRESS OPINIONS. The week-end in China prompted the newspapers to sound a note of caution. . The Daily Express says it is useless to attempt to disguise the gravity of the situation. "Movements of troops and military naval bustle , have an unhappy familiarity.' it states. "Wo hope nothing that is done will be done bevond tho limits of precaution. The war spirit, is an insidious thing. Every step now may bring a heavy reaction in a, month's time." The Daily Herald declares: "fit all sounds uncommonly like growling of a, most threatening kind. The plain, duty of tho Government is to say what is in its mind. Soldiers may bo fiping to sacrifice their lives, and they and the public are entitled to know, not in vague rhetorical phrases, but with the utmost clarity and precision. The year 19.14 showed that sabre rattling wa.s no aid to paciilc diplomacy." A correspondent points out in the Daily Telegraph . that a diplomatic step has been under consideration lor some days. Therefore itlio move should not be regarded as indicating a change in policy, which is distinct ly unmilitaristie. "It is to be Imped that neither at Home nor abroad would there be misapprehension concerning the call to the Reservists," he says. They are merely required to bring UP the battalions to strength. The Daily, Chronicle says: "To make anvthing in the nature of a. big parade of military force would l>e a dangerous provocation. It was one thing to despatch a strono- force of Marines to Shanghai but when Me hear of numerous battalions being ordered to prepare, we can only suppose that influences are aJs work within th.A Government, intent upon ruining the plans of the Foreign Office. It- is onlv fair 'that our diplomatic representatives m Clv'na shn'dd be given the opportunity of showing the Chinese that we mean wha;t we say, namely, that our intentions are peaceful."