CHEN’S COMPLAINTS

Wairarapa Age, 4 February 1927, Page 5

CHEN’S COMPLAINTS

CONDITIONS OF SETTLEMENT AT HANKOW.

“CESSATION OF WAR ATMOSPHERE.”

A BITTER TIRADE.

((Received Thursday, 9.25 p.m.) LONDON, February 2. In a statement, of which other passages appear on page 7, Eugene Chen, the Chinese Nationalist Foreign Minister, says:—“l sought to arrange a . settlement at Hankow, apart from the general issues of Chinese Nationalism and British Imperialism, which should satisfy British sentiment and preserve Nationalist self-respect. Such a settlement can be reached immediately if only there is a cessation of war atmosphere and war neurosis due to the menacing concentration at Shanghai of the most powerful forces Britain has massed in China

since the opium wars. “If the object of these warlike measures is merely to guard against British lives and property being jeopardised by the Chinese seizure of the foreign settlement in Shanghai (Chen added) there ought no longer to be anxiety thereon in view of the statement made to Mr. O’Malloy.. If the massing ef forces is an expression of the type of governing mind that feeds on the bodies of slaughtered men, it is to be. feared that the disablement of British trade may have to continue until British Labour is entrusted with the task of arresting the British decline in the Far East and substituting statesmanship, peace and productive work for Tory Imperialism, war and Byzantine glory.”—(A. and N.Z.)

UNFOUNDED CHANGES. WHY BRITAIN IS MASSING TROOPS. (Received Thursday, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 3. Official circles emphasise that there is not the least foundation for Chen's accusation that the despatch of British forces has produced conditions under which ho is asked to negotiate “with a revolver at his head.” Britain has not taken, and does not intend to take, any military steps whatever against either the Pekin, or Cantonese Governments. It is recognised that the Cantonese Government does not contemplate an attempt to capture Shanghai by force, but in view of events at Hankow and the looting of Kiukiang, neither Britain nor anyone else can be satisfied that the Cantonese are capable of preventing disorders or even possible massacres at Shanghai. “We could at Hankow give the Cantonese a chance of proving their ability of maintaining order, because in the event of failure we could rapidly evacuate the city, but at Shanghai the position is quite different. The eight thousand British people there could not be safely evacuated from a population of a million and a half Chinese if anti-British feeling, of which there is already plenty of evidence, were fomented until great masses of Chinese.ran amok. In view of these risks no British Government of whatever complexion dare risk being unready to defend its nationals’ lives. We are pledged to protect those lives and we are determined to do so whatever Chen might do.”

Unofficial circles do not expect that Chen will maintain his protest to the extent of finally breaking down all negotiations. If he does, the only possible conclusion will be that he is no longer a free agent, but a mere puppet of Moscow. Cabinet again consVlered the China situation at a special meeting at the Foreign Office yesterday afternoon.— (A. and N.Z) WHAT BRITAIN OFFERS. DETAILS OF PROPOSED TERMS. (Received Thursday,. 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, February 2. The Foreign Office has issued the full text of Britain’s terms to the North China and Cantonese Governments. In addition to the proposals mentioned in a recent cablegram, Britain indicated that she is prepared to recognise the validity of a reasonable Chinese nationality law, also to accept the principle that British missionaries should no longer claim the right to purchase land, that Chinese converts should look for protection to Chinese law and not to treaties, and that missionary, educational and medical institutions should conform to Chinese regulations.—(A. and N.Z.)