WAR IN CHINA

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 12 April 1927, Page 6

WAR IN CHINA

THE NEGOTIATIONS. (Per Press Association —Copyright. SHANGHAI, April 10. Telegrams from Peking indicate that the Powers have agreed on identical Notes, if not on a joint Note, but while all will make the same demands, it is pointed out that this does not mean all will adopt the same measures to enforce reparations if not granted voluntarily. Britain and America continue the concentration of forces, not necessary to protect Shanghai alone, but are obviously preparing for possible big trouble.. NEW YORK, April! IU. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” states that reports from Peking and London, that a live Power protest would be presented to China to-morrow for the Nanking outrages, lacked confirmation m official quarters here to-night. Officials stated that they had no information when the demands would bo presented, or whether the protest would be made jointly or separately. ■A hat this Government is understood to want, is the payment of an indemnity, and guarantees for the future of the United States’ position. It is understood the United States is willing to co-operate with the other Powers in making such demands, but is opposed to any resort to force, relative to their fulfilment.

The State Department has full con fidence in the Minister (Mr MacMurray), and if he should join the other diplomatic representatives in presenting a Joint Note, his action would be approved.

SITUATION VIEWED AT HOME. LONDON, April 10. Sir Auckland Geddes, speaking at Ashford, declared American Chinese were partly responsible for the trouble in China. China was full of young Chinese who had visited America learning there the shibboleths ' about British Imperialism. They became leaders of the anti-Briitish movement aimed at getting something that had never belonged to them and which their race had never created, namely, European cities. It was into such a movement that the influence of the Soviet came. LONDON, Aprd 10. The Foreign Office has received con firmation of the message that the Cantonese have been driven out ot Chinkiang, an important strategic point, by the Northerners commanded by Sun-Ch uan -Fa ng ex-Governor of Shanghai, who it was thought liad been effaced from military and public life. Other official news dhows that Borodin has returned to Hankow and delivered violent -anti-fore'gn speeches. The Diplomatic body at Pekin has informed Chang-Tso-Lin that they expect a proper trial of those arrested on the Soviet premises. The five Powers’ identical Notes relating to Nankin will be simultaneously published throughout the world when they have been handed over to the Cantonese. The Notes do not contain threats, sanctions or a tme limit.

THE RUSSIAN ATTITUDE. LONDON, April 10. The Soviet Government has prese'ited a Note of protest regarding ih" Embassy raid. It characterises the raid as disgraceful, and an act of preeedented violation of the elementary rules of international law. It demands that the Chinese police shall immediately leave the Soviet premises; that all arrested members of the staff he immed'ately released, and all property returned

Declaring that the Soviet possessw l adequate resources for recourse to r« prSSsive measures of compulsion, th** NoV says “Imperialists are provoking the Soviet io war. Pekin has become a tool in the game played by t!:o foreign Imperialists,” and conclude*“The Soviet Government, pending satisfaction of these demands, cons decs itself bound to sign a protest and to recall from Pekin its Charge d’Affaires with all the Embassy staff, leaving only the personnel to fill Consular functions. The Soviet clearly realise.® that irresponsible' circles of foreign Imperialists are provoking the Soviet into war. The Soviet’s policy hns made, and will make, a starting point for the interests of the toiling masses of the whole world, including the interests of the masses of the Chinese working cluse m nil countriee.”

The reply of Pekin is described ns an act of provocation which is pursued with the aim of making worse the inter, nat onal situation, and transforming the military action practically waged by certain imperialist Powers agaiust China into a new word war. The Soviet declares it will not g've way to provocation from anyone and bv all means will defend the cause of peace between peoples. The Soviet does not

doubt that in its aspirations for peace it will meet friendly support from the toiling masses in all countries, iuclud. ing primarily Chinese and Soviet citizens. TOKIO, April 9. The newspaper, “Myako Shimbun,' states that 400 Soviet regulars filtered into Harbin with rifles and grenades, while arms arc being actively smuggled in from Siberia. There are beiny stored in various Soviet Consulates in Manchuria. Despatches from Mukden state that the uneasiness tiiere is i.icreasing, the fear being that Marshal Chnng-Tso-Lin will next seize the Chinese eastern railway in order to incite Russia into reprisals, which will involve Japan. SHANGHAI, April 10. Diplomatic relations between Mbscou and Pekin have been broken off—ac. cording to Soviet and Japanese reports -as, the outcome of the Embassy raid DESPATCHES FROM THE SCENE OF TROUBLE. SHANGHAI. April in. General Ho Yingiiti, Commander of the First Nationalist Army, and Director-General of Operation- mi tinEastern Front, has issued an order to the Ni-tionalist troops in which h <; admits that the Nationalist- were tespon-ible lor the Nanking outrages, and says, in view of the fact that the incidents at Nanking were caused through the ignorance of certain Iriendly troops who attempted to seize the property of foreigners, and tin- -obsequent illegal Immbanlment by British and American gunboats. all the members of the Nationalist Army are ordered to refrain from firing on foreigners, .seizing ioreign property or in any way repeating the Nanking incident. The statement continues: "The Nationalists are waging war against in.|->-rir.li-.ui. not against foreigners. e will deal with Chinese Ini|H*rialis:n hi-t, tlien Foreign Imperialism: hut we want to axoid international complicaticns.” LONDON. April 10. A wireless: from Chinkiang reports that the Nationalist expedition up the Grand Canal met with a serious reverse at the hands of the' reorganised remnants of Sun-Chuan-Fang's army, which, recently evacuated Shanghai. This army, steadily driving back the Southerners towards the river, reached Yangchow at the confluence of the Yangisze and Grand Canal One hundred Nationalists were wounded ■ind are being brought to Chinkiang. where the Nat'onalist flags are being hauled down preparatory to departure.

Two other Northerneis victories are reported. Southern troops advancing along the Hientsin-Pukow line were driven bark towards Fengyang. The Southerners nlro suffered defeat on the north bank of the i'angtsze opposite Kiangiiu. Heavy fighting continues in rhe area- mentioned.

The evacuation of foreigners from the port- above Hankow is completed, and the Yangtsze is near'y empty of foreigners. The Japanese garrison at .Mukden has guaranteed the proteclion of all foreigners. Americans at Kwangtung have’ been officially ordered to evacuate and proceed to Hongkong. The presentation of the Powers' joint Note regarding the Nankin outrages has bion held up. due to Japan's reluctance to participate in * n economic blockade and the military occupation of China. Search of the Pek n Soviet Embassy resulted in the discovery of further proof cf anti-Bi ioSii and aiiti-Japancse propaganda. -SHANGHAI. Anril W I is re|>>rtcd from Hankow that Eugene ( hen requested the Jaoauosa Consul Guieral to transmit tu lokio an offer that the Nat onalist Government would agree not to interfere with rl* o Japane- - concession at Hankow and not to demand its retrocession, and immediately to suppress all auti-.lapane-e i citation in Chinn, provided Japan would agree not to ioi» uin aid Atrc.'ii-i in their ultimatum SHANGHAI, Auril 10 A wirele-s from Hankow states that the Na iun.i'ist troons at. Wuchang have l delated their allcgianoo w Gi neral Chiang-Kai-Shek. It is reported that the National:* 4 eap tal sbortlx will be removed to Nankin. A wireless from Chekiang repoits that the Southern forces have reached throe points north on the bnnk oi d" 1 Yangtsze opposite Chinkiang. Tb® Nationalists are falling back from I rl ' n kiang along the railway to chow and Nankin. There are a'-o niP that the Nationa ] sts are withdraw! 1 - from Pukow.