TROUBLE IN CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1927, Page 2

TROUBLE IN CHINA

Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

.MILITARY BUSTLE. LONDON, January 23

There is great activity at York, the headquarters of the Northern Command where four battalions are under orders. These comprise the 13th Brigade Mobile Force., which is unattached to any division.’and the "Green Howards,” who hitvo only recently returned after long service in the Far Fast.

A total of seven battalions apart from marines are now standing by. LONDON. January 25.

The First Devons’ Regiment, at Blackdown camp, attended a farewell service, in view of their orders to lie in readiness to proceed to China.

MARINES EARF.M'F.LI.F.I). LONDON. January 23

" Good luck—in the name of the Lord.” was the Portsmouth Chaplain's farewell wish at a special church parade that was attended by one thousand marines who arc going to China tomorrow. CHANG TSO LIN. LONDON. January 24. The “ Daily Express” Pekin correspondent. Mr Ketchum. interviewed Marshal Chang Tso Lin, who said : “M*c in Northern China are not waging war on Southern China, but we arc engaged in a struggle against Bolshevism. Me have eiglit hundred thousand to one million men under arms, and we earnestly hope for the moral support and enrollr:igenicut of Britain. _ j

Marshal CUiang Tso Inn is a iviziened little figure, five feet five high. He is far from the Mussolini style of man. hut his narrow black eyes glinted t\ ifh a fire of grim determination when lie received the paper's correspondent in one of the Emperor's palaces ill the Mnnolm City.

( hang Tso l.in continued: " M'c arc determined to wipe out all the Russian undesirables. M’e have the fullest- evidence that Bolsheviks are supplying me nationalists with munitions and funds. Russian schools are springing up everywhere in the south. Ihe British Government should recognise that it is futile to negotiate with Eugene Chen.”

CABLING UP RESERVES. LONDON, January 23. its diplomatic correspondent points out in the “Daily Telegraph” that a diplomatic step has boon under consideration for some days. Therefore. | K . says, the latest development should not be regarded as indicating any change in a policy which is distinctly unmilitaristic. lie adds: “It is to fie hoped that, neither at home nor abroad, would there be misapprehensions concerning the call ol the reservists. They are merely required to bring up the battalions to their strength.”

The despatch of military reinforcements of these dimensions to the Far East is admitted by the correspondent to he a more important move, hut fie says it would be a mistake to regard them as grave steps.

AVARNING NOTES. LONDON. January 23

The announcement at the week-end that British battalions have been ordered to China has prompted the newspapers to sound a note of caution. The “Daily Express” says: “It is useless to attempt to disguise the gravity of the situation.”

The paper continues: “The movements of troops and the military and naval hustle have an unhappy familiarity. M'e hope that/ nothing that is done will ho done beyond the limits of precaution. The war spirit is an insidious tiling. Every step now may bring a heavy reaction in a month’s time.” The “Daily Herald” declares; “It all sounds uncommonly like growling of the most threatening kind. The plain duty of the Government is to say wliat is in its mind. The soldiers may be going to sacrifice their lives. They and the public are entitled to know—not in vague, rhetorical phrases, but with the utmost clarity and precision. Ninteen-nnd-fourteon showed that sabre-rattling was no aid to pacific diplomacy.”

DANGER OF PROVOCATION

LONDON, January 23

The “Daily Chronicle” says: “To make anything in the nature of a big parade of military force would he a dangerous provocation.” It adds that it is one thing to despatch a strong force of marines to Shanghai, “ hut when wo hear of numerous battalions being ordered tn prepare, then we can only suppose that influences arc at work, within the'Government that are intent upon ruining the plans ol the Foreign Office.”

“It is only fair,” says the “Daily Chronicle.” “that our diplomatic representatives in China should he given the opportunity of showing the Chinese that we mean what we say—namely, that our intentions are peaceful.”

CHIXESE I)EC’|,A R ATTOX

(Received this day at 8 a.m.i

PEKING. Jan. 24

The Nationalist Government at Hankow has issued a declaration, stating the British and other Powers declarations of policy regarding China, assume that China is not able too look after her own interests, hut this is not true of Nationalist Chii which is strong and conscious of its power, and its ability to enforce it’s will by economic means on Chinese soil against any Power. 'The dominant .aim of Chinese nationalism is the recovery of Cfiinn’s full independence, until when there can be no real peace between Chinese nationalism and British iniperihlisin. The Nationalist Government while asserting th(> enforcing of Chinese authority, will not disregard considerations of the right of justice due to foreign nationals. The effective protection of foreign life and property can no longer rest on foreign bayonets and foreign gunboats. However the Nationalist Government believes that the liberation of China from the yoke of foreign imperialism need not necessarily involve any armed conflict for the reason that the Nationalist Government prefer to have till questions outstanding settled by negotiation. Tt declares its readiness to negotiate separately with any of the Powers for a settlement for a treaty or other cognate questions on a basis of economic equality, mutual respect of each others political and territorial sovereignty.

ATTACKS ON FOREIGNERS. PEKING, .Tan. 24

Further reports from Foochow reveal many anti-foreign outrages. especially towards religious institutions and wholesale looting by soldiers of the southern army. Fifty more Americans 1.-ivo been sent to Afanila by gunboat. Two American doctors were severely lieaten in Foochow streets and two ladies attacked in the Church of England school and driven into the street, most of their clothes being ripped off. Surrounded bv 'an infuriated mob. they managed to escape to the south gate, ultimately reaching the Catholic founding home. Later they were es. eorted to the foreign settlement at Nantai. .TAP DESTROYERS. TOKIO. Jan. 24. The Navy Department announces the dispatch of four destroyers for Shanghai to-day. on receipt of word of a more threatening situation