Wholesale Arrests of Communists in Shanghai.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18339, 16 December 1927, Page 11

Wholesale Arrests of Communists in Shanghai.

NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT ORDERS DEPORTATION OF SOVIET CONSUL, WHOSE INSTITUTIONS MUST BE CLOSED.

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn. (Received December 16, 12.10 p.m.)

SHANGHAI, December 15. MKOSLOVSKY, the Soviet Consul, has been handed an ■» official statement by the Nationalist Government ordering the closing of all Soviet Consulates in Nationalist territory.

The statement reads: “The Nationalist Government for some time has been informed from various sources that the Soviet Consulate and the Soviet State commercial agencies in areas within the jurisdiction of the Nationalists have been used as headquarters for Red propaganda and an asylum for Communiists, the exposure of which has been withheld in view of international relations between China and Russia.” The mandate cites the Canton revolt and evidences of Russian connection with it, which is mainly attributed to the fact that Communists availed themselves of the Soviet Consulate and commercial agencies as bases for operations. It expresses a fear of similar occurrences elsewhere. M. Koslovsky is requested to leave by the first available steamer. A time limit of ten days is fixed for the closing of all Soviet institutions.

Nationalist troops are already rounding up the Communists in the Chinese territory surroimding Shanghai, and have raided several notorious institutions, making wholesale arrests. Large caches of arms have been unearthed. Drastic New Crime Laws. The Provisional Court at Shanghai announced drastic new crime laws promulgated by the Nationalist Government in order to meet the crime wave, which reached in November and December proportions unparalleled in the city’s history. The new code provides a death penalty for sixteen separate offences, the majority of which were heretofore relegated to minor charges. The present code is more severe than in any western country.