“ CHINA FOR THE CHINESE ” IS PARROT CRY, SAYS LADY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18055, 15 January 1927, Page 10

“ CHINA FOR THE CHINESE ” IS PARROT CRY, SAYS LADY.

TAUGHT TO STUDENTS BY RUSSIAN REDS. A statement that the cry of the anti-British Chinese, “China for the Chinese,” was a parrot cry, taught to them by agitators from Russia, was made to a Star ” reporter yesterday by a lady who recently returned to Christchurch after spending eighteen years in China. She said the people who were causing the trouble were the students, who ranged in ages from, ten years to twenty-five. They were fanatically loyal, but they did not know what *to be loyal to, and their one thought was to create anti-foreign and anti-British agitations. These students had been taught by the Russian Reds that the word imperialism meant to grab everything. They said that the only imperialistic natibns in the world worth worrying about were the British and Japanese. They pointed to India and the dominions, saying that they were dissatisfied. The Russians also taught them that in a republic all men were equal and there was plenty of pay and little work. They said that poor China was groaning under the burden of Imperialistic Britain. If they got rid of Britain they would have peace. “Only about ten per cent of Chinese can read,” added the lady, “and the remainder have no idea of what is going on. They are taught by word, of mouth and arc led by the bands of students who go round instigating riots. At my own house, they shouted and yelled and placed anti-British posters on the gate. It is all the result of propaganda. The British, on the other hand, do not go in for propaganda.” The speaker, who was engaged in medical work among the Chinese, said that the rank and file of the people were most delightful. They were courteous, industrious, hospitable and humorous. She had lived for months with them in their own homes and the greater majority of the people were not anti-foreign. PEOPLE THE SUFFERERS. The lady said she would like the people of New Zealand to know of the terrible sufferings of the Chinese people, who, as a whole, were not concerned with what was going on at present. She quoted from a letter which she had just received, “We are very much eating sorrow just now,” an expression which was common in China. From an album of photographs taken by herself, the lady showed views of Chinese of all classes being used as slaves by the soldiery. She said they might be gentlemen, shopkeepers, or labourers. It did not matter to the soldiers, who pressed them into service, locking them up in temples with absolutely no conveniences. They were fed on rice, which they had to take out of the bowls with their hands. When they were ill, they were cast out. She showed a photograph of a string of Chinese carrying ammunition. One had the whole of his shoulder lacerated with the work, but he was compelled to keep going. In the town where she was living the Northern army came and said that they wanted 5000 load bearers. Every person in the city ran away. She was the only English person there and the city was like a city of the dead. The soldiers stayed there for six weeks searching for the inhabitants, who had taken to the mountains. The majority of the peasants did not care who won. as long as they had peace. During the revolution, when the dynasty was overthrown, the speaker asked a prominent resident of the town that she was living in what side the town would take in the matter. His answer was typical: “We will wait and sec which side is the strongest and then we will join it.” THEY WANTED ONLY PEACE. The lady added that half the troops were not soldiers at ail. They wore a uniform, but they had had no training. They were promised a good wage, but they seldom received more than half of it. Each province had to raise so much money to maintain the army. The Governor put about half of this in his own pocket and the soldiers got half their pay to keep them quiet, and the unfortunate populace, who had to pay for the army, were compelled to feed it. The soldiers were supposed to feed themselves out of their pay, but they never did. The townspeople and the peasants had to bear the burden. "The people themselves do not hate Britain. If I went back there to-mor- ' row. 1 know of many Chinese who would be glad to have me,” she concluded.