IS THERE A “WHITE PERIL?’’

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3593, 1 February 1927, Page 4

IS THERE A “WHITE PERIL?’’

THE CHINESE SITUATION

The New Zealand Labour Party and its Press organs have in effect a formula which they are ready at all times to recite for the good of the souls of all believers. It amounts to an affirmation that “we (the said party) are the humanitarians, we are the guardians of peace, we are the only party to be trusted by other Nationals for all others are anathema.”

It is in this spirit the above socialist party has cabled to the Right Hon. J. R. MacDonald, M.P. the glad news that the New Zealand Party “will support the British Labour movement in any action taken to prevent any army intervention by the British Government in China.” Note how fully comprehensive the statement “any action io prevent any armed intervention in China.” The British Government has made clear that its armed intervention is solely precautionary. We have it stated by cable that Mr. MacDonald agrees precaution must be taken, though not to excess (whatever he may mean).

There is more than one Labour movement in Britain and it would be well to know which the “New Zealand Party” supports. —The ultra Red movement which calls for entire British withdrawal from China. It uses as its slogan the Russian bolshevik hypocritial cry of “Hands off China,” meaning all hands but the bolsheviks own. The “Scottish Forward” a paper of the red hue writes about “the White Peril in China,” and fulminates on the lines that Britain’s whole relations with China consist of rapacious exploitation by British plutocrats posing as patriots and imperialists. It is a picture easily sketched and painted. A few lines of antiBritish projudieie; soSme splashes of lurid colour depicting the poor Chinee and the bloated capitalist; the names Rothschild, Baring Brothers, Sir Charles Addis, K.C.M.G. (a director of the Bank of England) and the masterpiece is completed. As showing where their support is the “New Zealand Worker” publishes, this stuff and lies with the screaming headline, “China’s White Peril.” This is inverted jingoism with a vengeance. Setting aside all essential facts it calls on the Chinese Nationalists, if not the Russian intruders, to fight the whites and particularly, we suppose the British.

There is one question which the people of New Zealand should put to this socialist party, and the journals which express its opinions. Wjhy is it that on every occasion when Britain has a difference with any other Nation or people they art always ready to find Britain in the wrong and to impute the worst of motives to Britain’s Statesmen?

CHINA'S DIFFICULT PROBLEM. The trouble in -China is not merely a difficult and complex problem for the white peoples who do business with China but it is also a serious puzzle for the Chinese themselves.

Lancashire in 1925 exported to China (including Hong-Kong) over £15,000,000, in goods. British capital invested in land, buildings, stock, debentures etc., at Shanghai alone, amounts to over £03,000,000. British exports and imports*, with China find a living for very many thousands of both Chinese and British people. It is for the benefit of both peoples that this enormous trade should be protected. For that, and oilier fully justifiable and humane reasons, it. is necessary that precautionary measures should be taken. There are two movements in China which are causing very serious concern. The socalled Nationalist movement and the pro-bolshevik movement. It is the interlocking of these movements which is making the problem one to be handled both with firmness and caution.

Regarded from the. point of view of China’s foreign relations, the present situation is the outcome of a nationalist movement which has been gathering force for a long time and is the inevitable result of absorption by the intelligentsia of China of modern ideas; more especially of ideas such as that of self-determination, generated since (lie Gre'at War.

There is no question whatever that Soviet Russia hopes to bring to fruition in China plans which she has long been maturing and most skilfully prosecuting. Every industrial centre in the Yangtze Valley is honeycombed by bolshovist propaganda and intrigue. The trouble which at the present moment is taking place at Hankow has been in preparation at tin? hands of Russians for months past. Skilful Bolshevist propaganda preceded the Cantonese advance through Central China and is preceding the entry which they hope to secure into Shanghai. Thus a cardinal fact in the present situation is that we are confronting not merely an aggressive nationalism much in advance of a large section of Chinese opinion, but a huge Bolshevist scheme to promote a state of chaos. Neither the British people nor the Government want war. At the same time, it only for the sake of the Chinese themselves, Britain cannot afford to withdraw her nationals, trade and other interests in China. To do so would not be to help in creating a National State there but would result in such chaotic conflict as would give to Bolshevik Russia the opportunity these world revolutionists are seeking. For this good reason our support must go to the British Gvernment in the trouble it is so carefully meeting.

(Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare

League)