GROWING WORSE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18897, 12 January 1927, Page 9

GROWING WORSE.

CHINESE SITUATION, THREATS OF FORCE. SHANGHAI CONSIDERED SAFE. IST •".ASI.E--rr.E53 ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT., (AC3TBALIAN AND hZ. CABLS ASSOCIATION.) SHANGHAI, January 10. fctones of missionary refugees from Kiukiang show that British landing parties had to face a. similar position there as at Hankow, for two hours attempting to prevent the mob destroying the barbed-wire barricade. The sailors and marines stood all kinds of insults, the crowds pelting' them with brickbats. Three men were slightly injured. Unprecedented defence measures havo been taken by the Shanghai authorities to prevent a repetition here of the Hankow events. Volunteers and special police have been called out and havo tombed the international settlement, searching individuals and Chinese houses for weapons and inflammatory literature. The Shanghai .Municipal Council has issued a proclamation warning agitar tors that it is prepared to resist outbreaks by every possible means. ' The authorities in the French Concession are co-operating. Instructions have been received from the Imperial .Government to defend the settlement by force if necessary. It is reported that a Japanese naval force i 3 anchored 14 miles from Shanghai, ready for emergency. It ia also reported that Admiral C. S. Williams, en route with a portion of the American Asiatic fleet from Manila, has been instructed to use force if necessary to defend American interests. Consequfentlv, little fear is entertained for the safety of Shanghai. In view of the anxiety of foreigners as to whether in the event of attack the International Settlement would be defended, the Municipal Council of the International Settlement has issued a statement in which it says that the council takes no official interest in party politics and has prohibited political meetings, demonstrations, speeches, or political propaganda of any description within the Settlement. The council will continue to c6-operate as previously with whatever Chinese administration controls the territory adjoining its boundaries under its own jurisdiction, and will direct all energies and resources towards the maintaining of order and ensuring the safety of life and property within the area under its control. It will rigorously suppress all forms of violence and disorder, and will not hesitate to use all the means at its disposal. The situation in the interior of southwestern China is steadily becoming worse. In addition to the British, many Americans are leaving interior towns. All American women and children are leaving Ichang.

Anti-foreign disturbances occurred in Chungking, where Cantonese soldiers and mobs desecrated the foreign ceme-' tery, smashing and overturning tombStones.

SOVIET PROPAGANDA. (MJSTIIALIAX AKD. H.Z CJ)|LE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, January 10. The Riga correspondent of "The Times" states that the Soviet, fearing an improvement of relations between Great Britain and China, is issuing daily statements -exposing Great Britain's subtle attempt to hoodwink the revolution with her memorandum, suggesting that the provincial Governments have the right to impose Customs duties. OFFER TO SERVE IN CHINA.

\ (vrSTRAMAJf AM) f.Z. CASI/B S3OCIAKON.)

OAPE TOWN, January 10. Ex-service men in Johannesburg are offering their services for China. They state that a battalion of trained men could be raised.

U.S.A. SENDS MARINES. (AtJSTEAMAH *»» X.t. CASLI A39OCUTI6sr.) WASHINGTON, January 10. Tho Nary Department announced to-day that arrangements had been made for the immediate transportation to China of a detachment of from Guam. DEFENDING SHANGHAI. (Syohut "StrK"' Skbvici.) (Deceived January 12th, 12.45 a.m.) bHANGHAI, January 11. An unconfirmed report states that arrangements have been made to dispatch 1800 British and 2000 American troops to Shanghai, while several thousand Japanese are being held in readiness in Japan, able to reach Shanghai at the latest in 36 hours. Eight British destroyers have arrived at Hankow. Negotiations regarding the British Concession will be opened immediately Mr O'Malley arrives. "KICK THEM OUT." FOREIGNERS IN CHINA. WELLINGTON ASIATIC'S VIEWS. [THE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, January 11. From enquiries made in Wellington amongst. Chinese residents, it would appear that supporters of the southern forces are numerous in New Zealand. One young Chinese of a highly intelligent type stated quite frankly today that three-quarters of the number of Chinese in New Zealand came from Canton, and were sympathetic towards the southern army operating against the Peking Government. "The southern army will win,'' he remarked. "We are going to kick all foreigners out of China. The English play too many tricks on he Chinese and now n-e are doing to play tricks on the English." Asked to explain what he meant by this, the Chinese stated that objection was felt to the English control 1 ing the Customs in China, and tnkinc the revenue. ''Hotj- would you like it." lie asked, "if the Chinese took over the Customsjiere? Again, if a Chinese comes to New Zealand he has to pay £IOO to enter, but the Englishman pays to enter China. When the Nationalist forces win we will alter that. We shall make the English' pav to enter China. Again. Customs duties on Chinese goods entering New Zealand are heavy, amounting to 45 per cent., but English goods going into

Canton pav only 74 per cent. That is unfair. The Chinese want to act on the ereat principle 'be fair.' " "What about the Japanese in Manchuria?" the Chinese was asked. (J "Oh. we shall kick them out, too, was the confident reply. It was suggested that if the southern forces were victorious they might have difficulty in getting fid of the Russian Reds. , , , "It is not the Reds who are helping the Cantonese," said the Chinese. "Tlie papers say that it is the Reds who are helping the Cantonese, but the RedS were put out of Canton a long time ago. It is the White Russians who are helping th* Chme?e. "If vou get rid of th* will von afterwards trade with t^em^ "Oh. ves, but on eqn*l terms.' "And bow lone do vou think the war win !„,*?'; , , , "Fully six months," replied the Chinese.