OUSTING THE REDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 16, 9 April 1927, Page 9

OUSTING THE REDS

CHINESE NATIONALIST SPLIT

ACTION BY CHIANG KAI-SHEK

With the purpose of removing communist influence from the nationalist movement, General Chiang-Kai-shek, the Cantonese dictator, has adapted stern measures, military and political, to combat the Red element in his party. The official account of the raid on the Soviet buildings in Peking states that the Russian Embassy, and buildings enjoying diplomatic immunity were unscathed.

By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright SHANGHAI, Friday. The action against the Soviet in Peking, Tientsin and Shanghai, synchronises with the strengthening of an important anti-Communist move by General Chiang Kai-shek, who has issued strict orders that no civilian may possess arms in the streets. This is aimed at pickets and communist members of the civilian army. Several armed agitators near the west gate of the native city, refusing to disarm, were shot dead by Southern troops. All vernacular printing offices have received notice prohibiting the publication of anything from the political bureau at Hankow, or any advertisement containing malicious propaganda, and threatening punishment for disobedience of the notice. Chiang Kai-shek is also making elaborate preparations, both military and political, to fight communists in the National Party. His present difficulty is that no rule of the Kuomintang bars communists from membership. Therefore, he cannot expel them without a new rule, which may be passed by a party convention which Chiang Kaishek intends to call at Nanking in the near future. Meanwhile, he is receiving solid support from all the middle class Chinese, who are daily carrying resolutions, and issuing manifestos urging the expulsion of Reds. China’s banks are supplying all the funds Chiang-Kai-shek needs, and he is receiving in addition a customs surtax amounting to approximately 1,000,000 taels monthly. An important conference of leading Southern generals was held at Shanghai, at which strong anti-communist resolutions were passed. The only one published urged strong action, but the others were not published because they stipulated specific measures in that direction. —A. and N.Z. GERMAN REFUGEES SPECIAL HELP NOT NEEDED By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Rec. 10.40 a.m. PARIS, Friday. The Government to-day cabled instructions to the French Minister at Peking fixing the limits of his action in conjunction with the other Powers regarding the Nanking outrages. Rec. 10.40 a.m. BERLIN, Friday. Dr. Stresemann, Minister of Foreign Affairs, rejected the Nationalist demand for the dispatch of a liner to China to save refugee Germans, on the ground that China might misconstrue the act, and also because there were plenty of German ships in the Far East.—A. and N.Z. AIRPLANES ORDERED FLIGHTS FOR CHINA REPRISALS HINTED AT Reed. 10.35 a.m. LONDON, Friday. By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright The Air Ministry to-day announced that an air squadron comprising three flights of Bristol fighters had been ordered to Shanghai. It is hinted that these may be used for aerial reprisals in the event of non-compliance with the Nanking Notes and demands, but this is not admitted officially. London, Washington, and Tokio are -till negotiating regarding identica notes, but official circles insist that no hitch has occurred, although no date of the probable presentation can yet be stated. ANTI-SOVIET RAID OFFICIAL ACCOUNT GIVEN POLICE EXCEEDED AUTHORITY By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Reed. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Friday. The official version of the Peking raid, which has now reached Downing Street, shows, as anticipated, that the Russian Embassy was not affected. The Chinese authorities had information that arms and ammunition were stored in the offices of the Da! Bank. Chinese Eastern Railway, and the Russian Indemnity Commission and that all were also used for subversive propaganda. None of the buildings in any way enjoyed diplomatic immunity. Anyhow, the Soviet long ago renounced such privileges, even for an Embassy building. The Chinese police issued a search warrant obtained with the authority

of the senior member of the diplomatic body, because the buildings were within the Legation quarter. Throughout the raid the Soviet Embassy proper, which was quite a separate building surrounded by its own wall, was strictly respected. The police exceeded the authority given to them by the diplomatists in entering the quarters of the Soviet Embassy guard. though the Soviet, through its surrender of extraterritorial rights, was not entitled to maintain a guard. The diplomatic body, nevertheless, protested against the Chinese authorities exceeding their specific authorisation. —A. and N.Z.

BATTLE IN STREETS

LEWIS GUNS AT NANKING JAPANESE TAKE POSSESSION By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright SHANGHAI, Friday. Simultaneously with the departure of Chiang Kai-shek, commander of the Southern army, from Nanking, guerilla forces again became active. They sniped and wounded a Japanese marine. Immediately a large force of Japanese marines took possession of the streets, with orders to shoot anything seen moving. As sporadic sniping continued the Japanese commander ordered the marines to advance after sweeping the streets with Lewis guns. The Chinese guerilla forces rallied and a short-pitched battle followed. Then the attackers escaped in a maze of alley-ways. Early next morning a second street battle occurred, but Japanese marines drove off the attackers, who were Cantonese soldiers.—A. and N.Z. RUSSIAN TROOPS ON MONGOLIAN BORDER THREAT TO CHANG By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright LONDON, Thursday. Despatches received in London from Soviet sources report the massing of at least three Russian battalions on the borders of Manchuria and Mongolia. The move is believed to be connected with strained relations between China and the Soviet. Official circles, however, deprecate alarmist interpretations being placed on the news, and they particularly deprecate the idea that it may portend a Chino-Soviet war. It is pointed out that Russia is unlikely to forget that a declaration of war would only recoil on herself, because it would frustrate the Soviet’s present methods of conducting its world-wide Communist campaign. For example, Britain would be able to intern or deport every Russian intriguer and agitator, and presumably every British Dominion would take similar action Well-informed sources the presence of Russian troops rather as a threat with a view to preventing Marshal Chang Tso-lin from proceeding further south against the Southern armies. A message from Copenhagen says the Soviet is despatching General Lebeder to command the troops on the Manchurian frontier. The TransSiberian railway is choked with war supplies.—Sun.