The Dominion THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1926. THE DANGER FROM THE EAST

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 58, 2 December 1926, Page 10

The Dominion THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1926. THE DANGER FROM THE EAST

To the average New Zealander, China seems a very long way off and China's internal struggles a matter of remote interest. As a matter of fact, the situation in China to-day is of very ical concern to this Dominion. It is a centre of danger which it is difficult to measure, but recent events have made it clear that Britain is liable to become involved at any moment in a grave crisis, and with Britain involved the rest of the Empire cannot ignore the possible consequences. It is not easy to form a confident opinion as to the real merits of the situation in China to-day. Rival factions and rival trading interests.present contradictory versions of the struggle for supremacy. ,On one side we find General Chiang, who appear;, to dominate the position in the Central Provinces, in which Britain is chiefly concerned, denounced as a tool of the “Reds” in Moscow. It is just as strenuously contended by some observers on the spot that he is something more than a spoilsman and self-seeker, and that he is attempting to bring to China a true republican type of government and to restore tranquillity and prosperity. It does seem clear that whatever may be true as to his aims, Chiang for some time past has been the outstanding figure in Canton, and has practically exercised absolute control for nearly a year. In a proclamation following on his success in capturing Hankow—- ' the present centre of danger for foreign interests—he declared his desire to end the fighting that had continued year after year and killed so many innocent people and impoverished so many more. Nor did he. according to this proclamation, intend any aggression to foreigners, with whom he wished to co-operate peacefully. Yet in spite of these professions the danger to foreigners, according to the latest cabled advices, was never more acute than at the present time.

There appears to be a very general agreement between newspaper correspondents in the Far East that China is bent on selfdetermination at any cost, and that there is a growing tendency towards a national spirit which may ultimately weld together the main forces, now engaged in civil warfare, in a common cause against all foreigners. Under promptings from Bolshevik sources there has been a steady propaganda carried on in favour of the repudiation of all existing treaties with and concessions to foreign nations, and this has been especially concentrated against British interests.

The rights and the wrongs of the issues raised are for the moment quite obscured by passion and prejudice. That is the danger of the situation. There is little if any room for reasonable negotiation—for there is no One with whom to negotiate with any measure of certainty that any agreement reached will not be disowned by a new leader in a few months’ time. Britain obviously cannot tamely submit to the sacrifice of her interests or those of her subjects in China. Yet to combat the tactics of boycott and intimidation that are being preached is a well-nigh hopeless task single-handed. With the growing spirit of aggression amongst the more belligerent Chinese factions there is grave danger of a clash which may lead to serious fighting for the protection of foreign residents.