CHINA’S POSITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1924, Page 3

CHINA’S POSITION.

[Reuters Telegrams.] SUN VAT SEN'S OPERATIONS. PEKIN, October To. Though telegraphic communication is interrupted, the news has reached Hung Kong that Dr. Sun Vat Sen’s combined forces have commenced operations to disarm the merchant volunteers. Fighting commenced this morning. It is stated that Sun Vat Sen has issued orders to the troops to take possession of Saekwan, the principal business centre. FIGHTING rN CANTON. (Received this day at 12.110 p.m.) PEKIN, October TO. Europeans arriving at Hongkong from Canton consider the damage nearer twenty millions than seven. Sun Ynt Sen’s forces used machine guns against volunteers barricaded in newly widened streets. Hiring continued throughout the night, volunteers surrendering, and laying down their arms during the morning. It is estimated Sun's forces numbered forty thousand against six thousand volunteers. Civilian casualties from shooting and conflagration are reckoned to exceed a thousand. PEKIN, October 10. A Canton message stales that the long standing lend between the authorities and the merchant volunteers, seems to have como to a head since the strike (cabled 12.10). The trouble bus apparently gradually grown until, on Monday, the volunteers concentrated in Suikwnn, the richest suburb, where a majority of the merchants reside, wit’ll Dr. Sun Ynt Sen’s Yunniincse mercenaries surrounding them outside. To-day several tires have broken onb in Saikwan and other parts of the city. J)r. .Sun Vat Sen's soldiers, who are openly looting, are suspected.

The volunteer movement is practically a Fascisti movement and it is supported by all ( hiucse merchants and shop keepers, small and big, in Canton and district, a.s a. protection against the exaction of Sun \ at Sen’s Government's tyranny and the looting of his mercenaries.

The naval authorities at Hongkong received it wireless message Irom Canton. that a large lire which raged nil dav yesterday was now under control. The merchant volunteers have been defeated and the damage is estimated at seven million dollars. The loss of lile is probably larger As the result of the foreign authorities at Shanghai refusing to permit little Hsu to make the International Settlement his headquarters, from which to create dangerous trouble among thousand ol ioadorloHS troops just outside the city, the situation to-day is much more hopeful, hut is. still complicated. Hsu is under open arrest in 1 1 is house in the International Settlement pending advices from, the diplomatic body at Pekin regarding what to do with him.

It apixuiirs that Kiangsu’s Commander, Lnnghua, remained loyal to Chi and his troops, who. occluding to consular reports, went over yesterday to Hsu, are to-day standing by their Kiangsu leaner. A big effort is now being made to arrange for the repatriation of the various leaderless troops to their rerespective provinces and it is believed that in a few more days the "hole situation near Shanghai will liquiilai itself.