“OURSELVES ALONE”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12620, 3 December 1926, Page 7

“OURSELVES ALONE”

AMERICAN POLICY IN CHINA NAVAL FORCE WILL NOT CO-OPERATE CABINET’S DECISION By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright, <Sv<lnfcr *'San** Cable.* WASHINGTON, December 1. That the United States will not join the League of Nations even in China was the new policy of aloofness announced to-day after a Cabinet meeting which considered the Oriental crisis. This Government considers that the control of the Customs houses is purely a native matter with which America is not concerned, and American naval forces at Hankow and other Chinese cities will be used solely for the protection of American lives and interests. It will not join with the British or other nations’ proposal to prevent the anticipated seizure of the Hankow Customs by the rebel Cantonese army. BRITISH FORCE AT HANKOW WILL BE STRENGTHENED, IF NECESSARY Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, December 1. In the House of Commons the notice paper contained a batch of questions

dealing with the Chinese position. Sir Austen Chamberlain, the Foreign Secretary, in replying said that there was no international foreign settlement at Hankow, bat Great Britain, France, and Japan had separate concessions, and their naval forces at Hankow would no doubt act in concert to protect their respective nationals. A sloop and river boats would remain at Hankow for the winter, and additional forces would be made available if a landing was necessitated. There was no reason to apprehend personal danger to British subjects at the Treaty ports, except possibly at Hankow, or. isolated plaqps in the interior. NAVAL FORCE SUFFICIENT He at present saw no reason to anticipate an armed attack on Shanghai by Cantonese soldiers, though the work’ of professional agitators might inconvenience the community. He had no reason to suppose that shipping facilities at Hankow were inadequate to evacuate Britishers if neoessary. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr W. C. Bridgeman, announced that the present naval forces in the Far Fast were regarded as sufficient, but he was considering the possibility of having to supplement them. CHANGED POLICY SOON? RECOGNITION OF CANTON (Received December 2, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, December 2. Diplomatic correspondents and leader writers appear to be puzzled by the British policy in China. The “Morning Post” hints that important developments in the attitude toward toe Canton Revolutionary Government may be expected shortly, and a modus vivendi reached short of recognition of that regime. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic writer says: “Not only in British, but in other quarters the same conventional phrasfe is used. ‘We are closely watching developments.’ We have now heard this refrain in relation to China for over two years. The attitude is strange, since warnings from British nationals on the spot hitherto have been justified to the hilt.” The correspondent alludes to tho desire in certain circles to recognise the Canton Government and to dispel the prejudice which characterises it as Red or Bolshevistic. REGRET IN SHANGHAI * ■“PUBLIC DO NOT REALISE" Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. SHANGHAI, December 1. Britishers are relieved at Sir Austen Chamberlain’s announcement of the decision to dispatch forces, but there is widespread regret that toe British public do not realise toe seriousness of the situation. Intervention is thus held up. The arrival of the new Minister from London is believed to be toe forerunner of a change in British policy. His arrival synchronised with the receipt of scores of telegraphic and postal communications from residents asking for British intervention, as further toleration of Chinese high-handedness is impossible. BOYCOTT SPREADING In the meantime, the boycott is spreading beyond Hankow, where the Customs Commissioner is enlisting foreign labour to replace the striking Chinese officers. Every Japanese liouso in Hankow is picketed, and reprisals are swift on any suppliers of food. There are significant rumours that M. Trotsky is replacing M. Chernich as Soviet Ambassador at Peking, and this is regarded as the Soviet’s intention to create a Far Eastern war. The further dispatch of Chang Tsolin’s troops to the Yangtse river lias been cancelled as the result of the Kuo min-chun threatening Peking. There is great activity among Chang’s troops, who are preparing for a long winter campaign. AGITATION GROWS STRONGER The majority of the Hankow labourers are idle as toe result of the strike. Communist speakers ape daily gathering huge crowds without difficulty, and they listen to firebrand speeches which are stirring the populace to acts ol violence against foreigners and wealthy Chinese. • New organisations for various alleged purposes are forming daily, but Lhe main purpose is to gain toe mastery over the foreigners with the object of driving them from China.