CHINA’S COMIC-OPERA WAR—FOR DOLLARS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 171, 10 October 1927, Page 1

CHINA’S COMIC-OPERA WAR—FOR DOLLARS

HOW LEADERS GET RICH FILM DIRECTOR RETURNS “ A COMIC opera war for dollars!'’ Mr. Edwin Geach, a director of Union Theatres, Ltd., and one of the best-known theatrical personalities in Australia, has been investigating China's civil war for himself. Accompanied by Mrs. Geach he arrived in Auckland to-day by the Aorangi en route to Sydney, after a tour which has included China, Japan and Honolulu. If the effect of the war in China was not so irritating, says Mr. Geach, it would be highly amusing. For instance, there is not a belligerent from the all highest and supreme war lord to the humble coolie soldier who cannot be bought. To quote Mr. Geach:—“lt iis a matter of dollars pure and simple So long as the acid can be put on the merchant class so long will the war continue!” MONEY OR HEAD? A war lord after capturing a merchant prince, will, in effect, say to him: “If you cannot pay me 200,000 dollars (sometimes more, but seldom less), off will go your head!” There is only one thing to do if the unhappy victim wants to live. The money, says Mr. Geach, must be obtained at any cost. When the war lord in question has obtained enough loot upon which to retire he does so—within the barbedwire entanglements of Shanghai. Mr. Geach could not over-emphasise the importance of the British troops in the “Paris of the East.” Undoubtedly, he S9.ys, it was a wise move on the part of the Home Government. “One hates to contemplate the massacre and the looting which would have taken place but for the presence of our soldiers,” he said. While in Japan both Mr. and Mrs. Geach were most impressed with the prodigious industry of the people, and the extraordinary growth in population. “Really, one wonders what will eventually be the outcome of it all. Every shop appears to have at least a dozen children, and there is a shop every few yards.” The “White Australia” policy, Mr. Geach declares, cannot be understood at all by the Japanese. Such a vexatious subject is invariably avoided. JAPANESE FILMS Mr. Geach was also interested to observe the rapid growth of the motion picture business in Japan. Local companies with Japanese artists, were producing short 111 ms with a strong local appeal, and appeared to have no difficulty in disposing of them in their own country. “But when they were offered to me for New Zealand and Australia, I at once realised that they would be no use here. They can tak€; our films, but we cannot, take theirs.” It was Australasian Films, one of the large movie interests with which Mr. Geach is associated, which produced “For the Term of His Natural Life.”