BOLSHEVISM IN CHINA.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1925, Page 3

BOLSHEVISM IN CHINA.

THE ANTI-FOREIGN CAMPAIGN. AUCKLAND, August 12. The Bolshevik tactics of intimidation and terrorism have had full sway in (long Kong in recent months, according to a letter received by a Devon port resident. The writer tells graphically of the difficulties of the domestic and political situation. “As your papers will have indicated,” lie writes, “there is ' trouble in China. 1 here certainly is. For the last month in Hong Kong we have been, and still are, in the throes of a general strike. The Chinese here, cooks, house servants, hoys, launch men, factory men. litters, mechanics—■ in fact, all and every Chinese who had any connection whatever with tho Britishers and Europeans—went on strike, and as .1 write there is practically no Chinese labour in the colony. Even tile Chinese clerks, as well as all the office stall's in the Government, and every other employ have struck, forfeiting pensions and everything else. “The Canton Government, 80 miles away, is red-hot Bolshevistic, a Government dictated to and run by (Moscow, who has her agents in Canton and all over the Chinese Republic. They have been preaching: ‘China for the Chinese; down with Imperialism; chase the foreigner out of China,’ etc. -As one step in this direction, and as one avowed step in the downfall of the British Empire, the Canton Government. by the aid of agitators and intiinidators, lias caused the stoppage of all Chinese labour for Europeans in Hong Kong. They euntc round one’s back door and tell one’s boy or anialt: ‘You must stop work. We give you warning. If you do not you or your wife and family will he killed. Come to Canton where you will get tree meals and no work.’ etc. The Chinese hoys, tram drivers, etc., believe this and quit. “While we call this a strike. it really is an attempt against all law and order, engineered by (Russian and Chinese Communists. The strikers demand nothing. They have neither asked for high pay nor better conditions, or anything else. There is nothing for the Hong Kong Government to enter into negotiations with them upon. They have simply obeyed the mandates of Canton to which place 200.000 of them have Hocked from llong Kong. Now they realise that tliev have been fools. They do not get free meals and they do not get ‘no work.’ They want to come hack here, but are prevented I'ruin so doing by the soldiers in Canton. (Many have been forced to become soldiers or else starve. So much for Bolshie promises. “Business is absolutely at a. standstill in every line. W’e also have over thirty ships laid up with the crews on strike, and if there were crews there is no place to take cargo and no coolies to handle it. Besides that, there is a boycott of British goods throughout China, and everywhere there is a nasty anti-foreign feeling about, especially anti-British, caused bv Bolshevist, lies all over China. “You have read <*l shooting all rays in Shanghai and Canton. Jn Hong Kong there has been neither shouting mir riots, but they have only been prevented by our day and night patrols of police volunteers. Fast Surreys, and the lads of the navy. These lads stand no nonsense I can tell von. I here is not a man in llong Kong. British. American, European or many loyal Chinese, who is not doing his hit. The essential businesses of the colony are being entirely run by volunteers, tnclmling llie post ullice. electric light trams, launches and sanitary arrangements. If it were our cold weather, it would not be so bad. but it is July, our midsummer, and as hot- as a tropical summer can be. and believe mo tries one physically and mentally. Doing an ordinary white man’s work and manual work day niter day in a very humid temperature of 90 degrees tries our temper, but we carry on. AA lien this will all cease ami the Chinese return lie re no one knows. 11 is a political demonstration, the vicious part being the nasty anti-torcig;n feeling engendered and tho racial hatred. It has many possibilities. China In-day i.s a hot-bed of Russian Bolshevist intrigue and propaganda di-rt-tod against the foreigners. The Chinese tip country are told that the llong Kong Government are shooting their compatriots down; that they are being refused water, etc. J hose ignorant fools believe it. All they ask is to he left alone, to live in peace as they have done for more years than the mind can visualise, with their lambics. their pigs and their paddy fields. Along comes your Moscow communistic university-trained Chinaman, and stirs them up. One paper published m Yladivostock, “Red” Russia, gave a picture covering it full page the other day of a British Tommy with a fixed bayonet, and on that bayonet is a Chinese baby, and under it is wirtten: “British culture.' ”