CHINESE TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1927, Page 2

CHINESE TROUBLE.

[bt telegraph—teu press association.]

CHEN’S STATEMENT. PEKING. February 7

Mr Eugene Chen (Canton Foreign Minister)' delivered a speech to Chinese and foreigners. Commenting on oir Austen Chamberlain’s speech at Birmingham, he said that u W ‘ V5 “ afraid that there was a common misapprehension, in each pronouncement lately made on the present situation in China, of the great secular principle which, through the disarrays and changes of the day, is working out nil independent, modern state in C una. He continued: “It is the principle of the form of liberty and independence in its internal aspect. This piinciplc is manifested in the Nationalist Mo\e- . incut against Chinese feudalism hot 1 in its double form of the Mandarinnte that misrules at Peking, and in the decaying militarism which sustains the bandit power of Cluing Tso Lin and his fellow-freebooters. Externally, the same principle is expressing itself in the Nationalist struggle with foreign imperialism, and especially in the specific phase of the struggle concurrently known as the anti-British movement. An incomplete grasp of this principle and this phase leads the Powers concerned to the conclusion which is objectively false. This is particularly true of Britain in her relations with Chinese Nationalism, for. instead of frankly and courageously dealing with the only Government that can make an effective, binding peace with her, she again takes the old cart-road to Peking, in order to associate with the anti-Nationalist authorities there in the negotiation of a settlement on a question which Chinese Nationalism has compelled the British and otheisj to envisage as vital and urgent. “ The irony of the position is that whilst Sir Austen Chamberlain in his Birmingham speech, implies that Biitsun’s negotiations were solely with the Nationalists, they would involve a iccognition of the division of China, ho is applying a diplomatic technique that would infallibly bring about a real division of the country. He has communicated simultaneously to the Nationalist Government and to"the feudal authorities in Peking, certain proposals which, if negotiated in the manner desired by ! biin must cleave China into a Nationalist China with its Government at Wuhan. and a feudalised China with its anti-Nationalist government at Peking. The vice in this diplomacy lies in the presence of the Peking complex in the mind of British Imperialism. The latter admits, through its Foreign Score-

vary, the fundamental reasonableness of 'our demand for treaty revision, which is the fundamental objective of Chinese Nationalism in its struggle

with alien imperialism. Instead, however, of working on this fact seriously and realistically with the sole Government here that derives it sanction and authority from Chinese nationalism, Pritain now continues to twiddle with Chinese feudalism in Peking. For fifteen years, Pritain has looked to Pe-

king for a government that will govern and" bring peace to a harrassed country. To-day Peking is dying and Britain—her eiiief sustaincr—is facing the greatest crisis in its career in the Far East. Between Chinese Nationalism and Chinese Feudalism there can he no compromise and the moment lias conic for the British to decide whether their trade and their commerce is to flourish in an independent Nationalist China, or is io continue to decline in an unfree. feudal China.

BUSS!AN ATTITUDE

MOSCOW. February <>

“ If England really desires to satisfy the aspirations of China, then her ground for ppovling Bolshevik intrigues tiff disappears, and it is possible for quet- discussions to begin between Britain and the Soviets.” Thus the newspaper “ Investia ” sums up the Russian Government’s attitude on China.

It adds: “Tlie Soviet supports Prince Bismarck’s view against participating in an unavoidable conflict.” It asserts ...at because Russia sympathises with the Cantonese, it need not hinder the latter from establishing good relations with Britain. THE U.S.A. PROPOSAL. WASHIXGTOX. February fi. The text of* Mr Kellog’s, the U.S.A. Secretary of State’s, proposals to the Chinese factions to exclude the international settlement at Shanghai from the area of armed conflict, states: “'file fate of American interests in this settlement occasions great anxiety to the American Government. Ihe interests of the Chinese and of foreign nations, to a supreme degree, require that here order shall prevail. The American Government is confident that Chinese military commanders will lend their sincere support to the proposal that this settlement shall he excluded from the area of armed conflict, so that American c-itigens and other foreigners may receive adequate protection. The American Government will he ready to become a party to friendly and orderly negotiations, properly instituted, and conducted with a regard tor the tuturc status of the settlement.” AX EMPEROR’S FUXERAL. (Received this day at, 3 a.m.) TOKK), February 7. Before eight o’clock this morning sections of the funeral route open for 1..0 general public was filled ' with squatting people, mostly aged, proposing to wait twelve hours in the cold. CHTXESF AFFAIRS. PEKIXG. February 8. A naval wireless message states that at Ichaiig the Chinese soldiers seized tlie Customs House and the residences which the Customs officers are occupy-