POSITION IN CHINA

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 59, 3 December 1926, Page 11

POSITION IN CHINA

STATEMENT BY SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN ADDITIONAL FORCES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IF LANDING NECESSITATED Sir Austen Chamberlain, in a statement in the House of Commons on the Chinese position, said there was no reason to apprehend personal danger to British subjects at the Treaty ports, except possibly at Hankow, or isolated places . in the interior. Additional forces would be made available if a landing was necessitated.

By Telegraph.—Press London, December 1. In the House of Commons the notice paper contained a batch of questions dealing with the Chinese position. Sir Austen Chamberlain (Foreign Secretary), in replying, said that there was no international foreign settlement at Hankow, but Great Britain, France, aud Japan had separate concessions, and their naval forces at Hankow would, no doubt, act in concert to protect their respective nationals. A sloop aud river boats would remain at Hankow for the winter, and additional forces would be made available if a landing was necessitated. There was no reason to apprehend personal danger to British subjects at the Treaty ports, except, possibly, at Hankow, or isolated places in the' interior. He at present saw no reason to anticipate au armed attack on Shanghai by Cantonese . soldiets, though the work of professional agitators might inconvenience the community. He bad no reason to suppose that shipping facilities at Hankow were inadequate to evacuate Britishers if necessary. . The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman, announced that the present naval forces in the Far East were regarded as sufficient, but he was considering the possibility of having to supplement them.

LOATH TO INTERVENE IN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS

(Rec. December 2, 7.10 p.m.)

London, December 1.

In the House of Commons Sir Austen Chamberlain stated that all steps were being taken to protect the lives and interests of British subjects in China, but otherwise Britain was. most loath to intervene in 'the domestic affairs of China.

PRESS PUZZLED BY BRITISH POLICY HINT OF IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS (Rec. December 3, 7-45 p.m.) London, December 2. Diplomatic correspondents and leader writers appear to be puzzled by the British policy in China. The "Morning Post”, hints that important developments in Britain’s attitude toward the Canton Revolutionary Government may be expected shortlv and a modus vivendi reached short of recognition of that regime. The "Dailv Telegraph’s” diplomatic writer says:'“Not only in British but in other quarters the same conventional phrase is used, ‘We are closely watching developments.’. We have now heard this refrain in relation to China for over two years. The attitude is strange, since warnings from British nationals on the spot hitherto have been justified to the hilt.” . The correspondent alludes to a desire in certain circles to recognise the Canton Government and dispel the prejudice which characterises it as Red or Bolshevistic.

Association.— Copyright NEW POLICY OF ALOOFNESS ADOPTED BY UNITED STATES AFTER CONSIDERING ORIENTAL CRISIS Washington, December 1. That America will not eyen jam the League of Nations in China wa» the new policv of aloofness announced to-day, after a Cabinet meeting which considered the Oriental crisis. This Government considers that the control of the Customshouses. is purely a native matter, with which America is not concerned, and American naval forces at Hankow and other Chinese cities will be used solely for the protection of American lives and interests. It will not join with the British or other nations’ proposal to prevent the anticipated seizure of the Hankow Customs bj’ the rebel Cantonese army.—Sydney "Sun' Cable.

SERIOUSNESS OF SITUATION NOT REALISED IN BRITAIN BOYCOTT SPREADING Shanghai, December 1. Britishers are relieved at Sir Austen Chamberlain’s announcement to dispatch forces, but there is widespread regret that the British public. do not realise the seriousness of the situation. Intervention is thus held up. . . The arrival of the new Minister from London is believed to. be the forerunner of a change in British policy. His arrival synchronised with tlie receipt of scores .of telegraphic and postal communications from residents asking for British intervention, as further toleration of Chinese highhandedness is impossible. In the meantime the boycott is spreading beyond Hankow, where the Customs Commissioner is enlisting foreign labour to replace the striking Chinese officers. Every Japanese house in Hankow is picketed, and reprisals are swift on any suppliers of food. There are significant rumours that Trotsky is replacing Chernich as ‘Soviet Ambassador at Peking, and this is regarded as evidence of the Soviet’s intention to create a Far Eastern war. The further dispatch of Chang-Tso-Lin’s troops to the Yangtse River has been cancelled as the result of Kuothreatening Peking. There is great activity among Qhang-Tso-Lin’s troops, who are preparing for a long winter campaign.

STRIKE AT HANKOW Peking, December 1. The majority of the Hankow labourers are idle as the result of the strike.' Communist speakers are daffy gathering huge crowds without difficulty, and they listen to firebrand speeches, which are stirring the populace to acts of violence against foreigners and wealthy Chinese. New organisations for various alleged purposes Are forming daily, but the main purpose is to gain the mastery over the foreigners, with the object of driving them from China.