CHINESE TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1927, Page 3

CHINESE TROUBLE.

DEAL IN ARMS

[“Sydney Sun” Cables.]

(Received this day at 9.80 a.m.) LONDON, May 29. The “ Dispatch’s ” Dublin correspondent reveals details of an extensive plot, engineered by Moscow, for tJie purpose of deceiving Northern Chinese into the belief that Britain is arming the Southerners. The Soviet were aware that twenty thousand British short Lee Enfield rifles and bayonets and twenty million rounds of ammunition wero banded over to the Free State when the treaty was signed and were now available for purchase.

Accordingly, they approached a notorious German firm, lengthily engaged in gun running, which enlisted the service of two international adven-

—‘-tlirers, notable gun runners and seditious agents, who, provided with American passports and unlimited finances, arrived in London, where they established communication with a man £ moving in parliamentary circles, who was in close touch with certain Free State officials. A Dublin official went to London and arranged with the agents that a deal should be carried out on a cash basis. The agents went to Dublin with £100,090 in banknotes and the deal is now on point of completion. The rifles are being shipped from Dublin aboard a German vessel for Nanking with the understanding that the bill of lading will not be questioned.

It is pointed out that the Free State Government has not entered the China arms embargo agreement and accordingly there is no question of the legality of exporting arms to China, particularly in view of the rifles having been available to legitimate buyers, but it is believed that the Free State imagines the rifles are destined for the South African Republic. Moscow’s plot aims, not at arming the Southerners, but that in the event of a Communist rout and a consequent surrender of weapons, the Northerners should discover the British arms, leading to a supposition that Britain, despite Sir A. Chamberlain's declarations of being neutral, bad been arming Chen’s followers. Agents went to Belfast for the purpose of securing further British arms in the possession of the Ulster Government volunteers and are prepared to pay a further £IOO,OOO, but they are not likely to be successful.