TROUBLE IN CHINA.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 7 April 1927, Page 5

TROUBLE IN CHINA.

DEBATE IN HOUSE.OF COMMONS LABOUR ARRAIGNED. (Per Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, April 7. In the House of Commons there was a crowded attendance when Mr Macdonald initiated a debate on China. He said no one could say wliat was going to happen. The despatch of the 'Shanghai defence force had undoubtedly increased our negotiating difficulties without increasing the protection for Britishers outgide Shanghai. It had also fed traditional Chinese suspicion, though he believed this was. without foundation. Not Shanghai, but the whole of China, was the immediate test of our policy. Nobody could say before an inquiry what had happened in Nanking, therefore he urged the Government to use the League method of inquiry. Personally he was most glad that Britain, America and Japan to-day were presenting Notes and not ultimata. There should be a clear statement that we still stood were we were at Christmas. If the League of Nations could make the Nanking inquiry it W’ould do a tremendous lot of good. He hoped Mr Chamberlain would not decline the use of the League. They should know what was in the mind of the War Office in sending out more troops and how far we were acting alone in such matters. It was not in British interests, as the market for our goods was circumscribed, barred by prejudice and ill will. The Chinese had learned the power of a boycott. Mr R. Mitchell-Banks (Conservative) said that Mr Macdonald’s speech recalled the proverb that in the kingdom of the blind a one-eyed man was king. He wished that Mr Macdonald could give some vision to his party, but unfortunately his kingdom was governed, not from the throne but from the ante-chamber. Mr Macdonald had said that the revolutionary propaganda in the East was based on history, but Mr Mitch-ell-Banks declared that the Independent Labour Party was busy preparing the history upon which to base the propaganda. If anybody spread suspicion it was the Labour Party, .by meetings and resolution's, and if there should be a disaster they would be its chief authors. If Mr Chamberlain had to defend himself it would be against the pushing virtue of patience almost to a fault.