CHINESE TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1927, Page 2

CHINESE TROUBLE.

fllY TELEGRAPH

SERIOUS CONDITIONS. SHANGHAI. -March

It is now reported that Captain Spear (British Intelligence Officer) is missing at Nanking, whither Cliiang Kiashai is hurrying to restore order.

A wireless from Nanking says the American Admiral Hough, met the Cantonese general, with wliotn lie is negotiating for the evacuation of the remaining foreigners. The Kungwo which left Nanking yesterday with refugees, escorted by the American destroyer, Preston, was fired on at Chiiig-kiang. The Preston returnee) the fire.

Conditions up the river have taken an ugly turn as thi- result of fresh anti-foreign outbreaks of a few days.

A wireless message states American "■omen and children arc- now evacuating Hankow while British and Anion--can women and children at Chenkinng have been concentrated ashore with destroyers standing !>v, ready to evacuate if necessary.

Latest reports from Nanking do sc-ribe the situation as critical.

Anglo-American naval authorities are working in close friendly co-opera-tion. Ninety-nine Americans, including forty-four women and thirty-eight children, and fifteen British, have all been evacuated. The American. Dr. J. E. Williams (Vice-President of Tanking lT»ivorsn.y) is known .to bo dead.

The British steamer Wenchow took twenty Americans missionaries from Chinnking. where many foreign houses were looted, following anti-foreign demonstrations.

MASSACRE STORY UNTRUE. SHANGHAI, March 25. The fate of the hundred odd Americans and British, who previously were reported to have been murdered at Nanking, has now boon, cleared up. They are stated to be all safe in the Nanking University, where they, by a miracle, gained refuge, and where they remained for several hours, surrounded by howling molts, before their whereabouts was discovered.

NA XKING R EFUG EES. SHANGHAI. March 25

Immediately that tbe American and British refugees were discovered to be in the Nanking University, an ultimatum from tbe British and American Naval Commanders was issued to tbe Commander of tbe Nationalists at Nanking, to deliver tbe refugees safely, or else a bombardment would begin. The rescuing of tlie refugees was effected to-night (Friday) under the cover of darkness, by a joint lauding party of Americans and Britishers. These went to the University. They were armed with rockets and had orders to signal if they were molested, when a barrage fire was promised. At midnight all the refugees were being evacuated safely in small parties. A later report stated that Captain Spear is safe aboard tbe Emerald, and Consul Giles was rescued and placed aboard tbe Emerald.

THE NANKING REFUGEES. SHANGHAI, March 20

Tbe first batch of refugees, mostly women and children, from Nanking, have arrived at Shanghai. They tell of the terrible experiences at tbe bands of the anti-foreign mobs and of the Cantonese soldiers. Not until Shanghai was reached were the dangers past. The whole way down the river they were constantly fired on from both shores by tbe forts and tbe soldiers.

v , The gunboats escorting the steamers repeatedly replied to the Chinese fire. The refugees declare that the presence of the British warships at Nanking alone saved them. But for them, every foreigner would have heen murdered. Everybody expected the retreating Northern Army to loot tlie city, but it did not. As soon, however, as the conquering Southern Army began to drift in, a reign of terror started. the occupants 1 icing driven out. beaten and robbed. Those residing in the outer districts took refuge in tbe city earlier in tbe day, or otherwise all would have been massacred. Chte group of fifty British and Americans gathered on a hillside, surrounded by howling mobs in an orgy of looting, the foreigners expecting death at any moment. There were shots flying about, hut after an hour’s suspense

an American sailor mounted a roof and signalled to the warships in the river. Their suspense was immediately broken by ii scream of shell fire from the American warship, which, exploded in front of the advancing Cantonese. This was the beginning of the bombardment which enabled the foreigners to reach safety. The bombardment lasted ior three hours. Then a party of British bluejackets arrived and took them aboard the warships.

Further eye witnesses’ accounts from Nanking are filled with bloodthirsty details of revolting scenes, it being the worst anti-foreign outrage since the Boxer rebellion.

The soldiers were ordered, they said to kill every man. woman and child, irrespective of their nationality. Their actions goaded the populace to a reckless orgy of looting and butchery. Soldiers. armed with swords and knives, dashed about yelling for foreign Wood. Numbers of lives were saved by the payment of money. Outrageous demands for ransom were made at first, But when the danger threatened, these •were reduced.

File rings of foreigners were obtained bv chopping off the lingers. The whole left hand of the Japanese Consul •was chopped off and a .worse fate met a British doctor, whose body, after he ■was murdered, was chopped to pieces.

Flu. marksmanship of British and American warships is highly praised by the refugees.

The British warships used shrapnel and tiic ‘Americans used four-inch ordinary «,hells. These were placed with great accuracy. One Chinese fort was demolished by, single shell during the bombardment.

A few foreigners are still missing. An ultimatuih has been sent to the ■Chinese authorities demanding the return of al Foreigners, dead as well as living. FOREIGN PROPERTY WIPED OUT. SHANGHAI, March 25. The Hankow incident pales in comparison with atrocities at Nanking, •which are being reported hourly by soldiers in Nationalist uniform. Many Americans, including women, were treated at Nanking with the greatest Brutality. Their clothing was torn off. In one instance a French Priest was shot with a pistol by a Cantonese- officer. A lady missionary was shot twice in the chest at point blank range. LONDON, March 20 A text of the last despatch received to-night from China as to Downing •Street, reads: “So far as is known, all the mission homes and institutions have been looted at Nanking and the majority of the foreign residences, personal property of the foreigners, has been burned. All the offices have boon looted and wantonly destroyed.

CRISIS HP THE YANGTSE. SHANGHAI. March 26

Further wireless reports confirm that the whole situation up the River Ynngtse is assuming a most alarming aspect, necessitating the rapid evacuation of the remaining foreigners.' At Ivuikiang the Nationalist Commander replied unsatisfactorily when ho was apnronehed in regard to the safety of the foreigners. The authorities, consequently, have reserved their freedom of action.

Afeanwhilo. the women, children and missionaries are evacuating.

A large belligerent crowd thronged the Concession at Ching-kiang (beweeii Nanking and Shanghai). The Chinese police succeeded in protecting the foreign property there, but the foreigners themselves have now been transferred to British and American destroyers, pending their evacuation.

Steamers on the Ynngtse are being fired on from both hanks around Chingkiang, where the women and children are being evacuated.

Wireless messages state that American women and children arc now evacuating Hankow, while tile British and American women and children at Clung Kiang have been concentrated ashore, with the destroyers standing by. ready to evacuate if necessary.

FOOCHOW AGITATION ■SHANGHAI. March 26

From Foochow there are reports of a serious anti-Christian agitation, which was started by Communist students, who held a meeting, and urged the mob to overthrow Christianity students.

The students seized and hound a Chinese pastor and paraded him through the foreign quarter. Posters appeared denouncing religion and the Church, and threatening certain Chin-, esc Christians with death. The authorities view this situation with concern, feeling that the Chinese protection is inadequate.

ORDER BEING RESTORED. LONDON, March 27. The situation at Shanghai continues to improve. The Cantonese regulars are now succeeding in rounding up and disarming the gunmen who terrorised the city during the past few days. The .general strike has ended. Work lias now partially resumed. SHANGHAI WORKERS’ DEMANDS. SHANGHAI. March 26.

The majority of the industrial establishments and essential services of Shanghai, have now resumed full activity.

A fresh cloud, however, has appeared on the industrial horizon, as a renewal of the general strike is threatened tomorrow unless a number of the demands forwarded to the Municipal Council are conceded. The demands include the removal of- barricades around the international quarters and the nowarrest of the Labour Union pickets and agitators.

NEW REGIME AT SHANGHAI SHANGHAI, March 20

The first Soviet flag was unfurled at SHinghai to-day at the railway,station, where the efforts to run the railways under she new regime were controlled bv a Workmen’s Committee.

At the railway workshops, all the Chinese foremen were dismissed, an armed Committee taking their places. All the labour unions in tbe native city are now under the control of similar committees.

There is no sign so fur that General Paiehingshi (Southern Commander) will be able to cope with the “Red” leaders. The activities of the Labour Unions are controlled by Communists. They have formed a so-called Plain Clothes Army of three thousand, of whom nine hundred are well armed, and the remainder partially armed. This organisation is recognised by General Paiehingshi. Tt has taken over, the duties of the former police, who have been disarmed. Among them are many gunmen, who figured prominently in the recent disorders.

POWERS’ ACTION. SHANGHAI, March 20. Combined British. American and Japanese action to deal with the Nanking incident, and to prevent any repetition. is now foreshadowed in the dispatches sent from Peking, where Ministers of all the Powers concerned are conferring with regard to remedial measures. General Cliiang Tvai Shek (Canton lender) has arrived at Nanking from ■Shanghai, in order to get into direct touch with the responsible foreign authorities. AMERICAN ATTITUDE. WASHINGTON. March 25. With the critical conditions ill China all the energies of the United States Government are being devoted, in the immediate present, to the saving of the lives of U.S.A. nationals in Nanking ■and in other places where a reign of terrorism has followed the victorious

Cantonese, but, involved in this situation there is the danger of far-reaching complications ,as the menace of Bolshevism is giving much concern. It is thought that the despatch of a large force to China for a concentrated drive against the Cantonese might stir up the Chinese generally to attacks on foreigners* and migh't turn all China Bolsheviks. However, such further action as the United States may take will depend upon the inclination and the ability of the responsible commanderc of the Cantonese to control the excesses of their troops. SOVIET CHARGED. WASHINGTON, March 26. At Worcester, in Massachusetts, the British Ambassador, .Sir Esme Howard, addressed tbe Metal Trades ,Association. He charged Soviet Russia with inspiring the Chinese attacks on the foreigners, thereby hoping to drive the British out of Asia as the lirst step to promoting a Bolshevist revolution If. he said. Britain were driven out, then lie believed that it would not be difficult to get rid of the other Western Powers from Asia. Then there would be an attempt to promote a* revolution in Britain, which, he declared. would be “the precursor of a similar revolution in all the European countries.” The real danger to Asia, according to Sir E. Howard, was the control which the Russian Soviet was now seeking of that Continent. BRITAIN’S POLICY. LONDON, March 26. Serious events in Nanking evoked doubts regarding the possibility, of proceeding along the policy of coiiciliaton as outlined in the Chamberlain Memorandum, but the authorities state that though the incidents make it harder to put the British policy into operation, the broad lines of policy applicable to China as a whole will not be affected. BRITISH WARSHIPS. LONDON, March 25. The news being received at Downing Street by the Foreign Office confirms that there is a very grave character in the events in Nanking, which constitutes the worst anti-foreign outrage so far experienced. The reports received show that, as soon as the Northern troops abandoned the city of Nanking. ■ guerilla bands, calling themselves Can- . tonese, but who really were uncontrolled free-lance looters, rushed in and began thieving and attacking the fer- ’ eigners. The British cruiser Gerald 5 had to open shrapnel fire on Nanking - The gunboat Cricket is escorting mcr- : chant ships, with American refugees from the interior aboard, and she is also approaching Nanking in the Yang- . tze River. The Cricket will be used to evacuate the Britishers from N.in-

king. U.S.A. ACTION. WASHINGTON, March 26. It is understood that president Coolidge is alarmed by the rapidly spreading foreign feeling in China, and has been impressed with the necessity of protecting the thousands of American nationals there who are potentially menaced. The U.S.A. Government constantly reiterates its approMil of the American naval officials’ action at Nanking. WASHINGTON, March 26. The United States Government has ordered fifteen hundred .more marines to lie sent to Shanghai. The American marines aiftl sailors now stationed in China number five thousand, and approximately twentylive hundred more are cn route to China under orders that have been issued during the pasf three days. kiie latest addition brings the numbers of American forces in China up to nine thousand men of whom over two thousand will be located at Shanghai. The Navy officials said that a new detachment would sail from San Diego aboard the transport “Henderson ’ within ten days, and is expected to arrive in China within thirty days.

U.S.A. CHURCH OBJECTION.-/, NEW YORK. March 25.

The annual Methodist Episcopal Conference at Philadelphia has adopted a resolution stating: “Me should not let. the protection of our Missionaries he used as an excuse tor -continuing any kind of military control in Chink. The Christianity that is hacked by pH's will never be very effective. If it is necessary to provide, an asylum for our Missionaries and other American citizens for a'retreat during the civil war, well *-.nd good. Some of our missionaries, however, have voiced a protest xpgainst any such expediency. They would rather take their chances with the Gospel as their only protection. Many of them feel that these hours of trial v.fiord them a real opportunity of demonstrating their faith in the superintending providence of God.’ NATIONALIST LEADERS’ ATTITUDE. SHANGHAI, March 26. In contrast to the truculent attitude of the Nationalist military elements at Nanking. General Ka Shek (Canton Generalissimo) and General Paichinghsi (Canton Commander at Shanghai) profess the desire for an amicable settlement of yesterday’s incident. A message from a Japanese source states tl.fit General Cliiang Kai Shek sent to the Japanese Consulate a representative. who stated that, although the cause of the foreign bombardment was unknown, the Southerners had no enmity a;(iiust Britain and America. The representative added that General Chiang Kai Shek would proceed to Nanking immediately, to settle the incident, with full responsibility. I-le asked that this intimation be conveyed to the British and American authorities at Nanking, coupled with an expression of .the General’s earnest desire that they should stop their bombardment. . General Paichinghsi, at Shanghai when interviewed on the subject, sugnested that the blame for the Nanking •disorders should lie placed at the door of the retreating Northerners, rather than of the Nationalists. He -hoped that the incident would he liquidated in a peaceable manner, and one "Inch would not inflame the Chinese people against foreigners. He eonlesscd suppression of plain-clothes gunmen was one of the Nationalists’ most embarrassing problems. A DTCTATtORSHIP. LONDON. March 26. The It test report states that General Chiang Kai Slu-k, Commandor-in-Chief of the Nationalist Army, has declared himself the Dictator of China.