“COULD NOT BE WORSE.”

Shannon News, 11 January 1927, Page 4

“COULD NOT BE WORSE.”

SITUATION AT HANKOW. f CHINESE REDS HOLD ALL BRITISH BUILDINGS. JAPANESE FEAR FOR FUTURE (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 8. Ships are arriving from Hankow filled with refugees. All speak in high terms of praise of the restraint and forbearance of the British marines under prolonged provocation. All the Hongkong Bank securities were removed from Hankow. Advices dated Hankow, January 7th, state that a steamer left for Shanghai the previous night carrying evacuated (Americans, women and children. All the administrative offices in the British Concession are now in the hands of the Chinese, who control the police, municipal buildings, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and have assured the safety of all foreigners. Advices of the same date from Japanese sources at Kiukiang state Chinese crowds occupied the municipal buildings; the premises of British firms and private residences. The efforts of Chinese troops to preserve peace and order appear to have been unsuccessful and the British Concession is endangered. Though Japanese residents at present, are safe, fears lor the future are entertained. The Customs officers took refuge on an American warship.. BRITISH POLICY CONDEMNED. UNFAVOURABLE CHINESE COMMENT. ' ‘ TRANSPARENTLY INSINCERE.” (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) TOKIO, January Bth. The morning papers further comment unfavourably on the British memorandum. “Britain's attempt to court Chinese favour will most probably fail” is the verdict of the Chugai, which reflects the attitude of tlie Japanese press as a whole. The Chugai considers the proposals are dictated by selfish motives, which, besides being unfair to the other Powers are transparently in-

sincere and are likely to harm rather than improve British relations with! China. AMERICA’S ACTION. WILL SEVER RELATIONS. . (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) TOKIO, January S. The impression is growing here in both Japanese and foreign diplomatic circles, that America is about to sever diplomatic relations with China, adopting the same attitude regarding treaties, debts and obligations as in the case of Russia. The Foreign Office intimates that Japan will wait and see the American attitude before answering the British memorandum, although the Washington position is .unlikely to be definable before the return of the American Minister to China. He is expected here on January 24, en route to America. While here he will consult Mr Shidehara. SAFEGUARDING SHANGHAI AGREEMENT AMONG THE POWERS. LONDON, January 8. The Observer’s Peking correspondent gathers that inost of the Powers have agreed to regard as an act of war any threat agaiust the Shanghai foreign settlement similar to Hankow.. ■Washington has promised to participate to the extent of protecting its Nationals. BELGIUM SYMPATHETIC. (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) BRUSSELS, January 9. The newspaper La Peuple understands that the Government has sympathetically replied to the British memorandum to China, but is opposed to any proposals resulting in the reinforcement of the Northern military leaders against the "Cantonese. THE LOOT OF HANKOW. ALL FOREIGNERS MUST GO. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 9. Passengers arriving from Kiukiang state ihe Kuomintung flag was hoisted over the British Consulate there. The Consul is aboard H.M.S. Wyvern. The Hankow situation, it is declared, canno: become worse. The principal Britisn buildings are already looted and are flying Soviet flags and being used as headquarters for labour unions and agitators, , „ . , Refugees state the youthful Cantonese soldiers burst into homes and ordered out tfte inmates, even babies in arms. Tlicy placed red seals on the doors and refused to allow possessions to be taken. ' It |s stated the Chinese are not content with recovery of the Concessions, but want to expel every foreigner from China. They are supported in this by the military, w|ic declared they wei- : able but unwilling tp control the situation and are assisting in the demonstrations, BLOCKING PATH TO SHANGHAI. SUN’S ANTI-RED ARMY. (Received This Pay, 10.45 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 9, According to predictions the entire

Yangtsze Volley will be influenced by Hankow events. The'present wave of anti-foreign violence will not clhse until reaching Shanghai, but there it is not expected to reach the Hankow proportions, the stabilising influence being the Governor, Sun-Chuan-Fang, an antiRed Commander now blocking the advance of the Red Army a hundred miles west of Shanghai. He is at present holding his own and before he is defeated; leaving Shanghai open to tbp Cantonese, it is believed the Powers will have arrived at an arrangement now lacking. POWERS MUST CO-OPERATE, INTERVENTION INEVITABLE. CHINESE EXTREMISTS FANATICAL (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) SHANGHAI, January 9. American sentiment, hitherto favouring non-interference, i 3 now stirred by Hankow events.' There are signs that Chinese extremists throughout the country are becoming intoxicated with their success at Hankow. Tientsin, Peking’s port, though antiRed controlled, is showing signs of imitating the Hankow ou*bu r st. Similar reports elsewhere suggest that a second Boxer uprising is expectable unless the Powers reach an understanding immediately. Britain cannot be blamed for inaction. She has long been the scapegoat. The other Powers are now realising that they are equally affected. Only a ebulerted demonstration is required to restore order. Bloodshed is unnecessary, .judging by Kiukiang events, when at two blank shots fired by a gunboat in response to a Consulate signal, the mob fled in terror.. Yesterday’s refugees include many missionaries. It is reported that a hundred and others at Ruling ’are cut off from escape by Kuikiang events. Definite action by the Powers is noc expected until all the possible interior residents have reached safety, the Powers fearing reprisals, but intervention appears to be inevitable.