AN ANTI-RED DEBATE

Wairarapa Age, 21 February 1927, Page 5

AN ANTI-RED DEBATE

PANIC FLIGHT TO SHANGHAI.

THE BRITISH DEFENCES. TROOPS ARRIVE IN NICK OF TIME. (Received .Sunday, 5.5 p.m.). SHANGHAI, February 18. Thousands of refugees are pouring in from the warstricken areas, including hundreds of deserting soldiers. The anti-Red army is expected to break up and flee to Shanghai. Momentarily, its morale has been struck vitally by Kuomintang propaganda. The municipal authorities are taking every precaution to prevent an entry into the settlement.

Pickets on the boundaries are disarming soldiers on entering. The antiRod debacle is not surprising, Sun Chuan-fang’s army, consisting of rabble enlistings for the purpose of loot. Sun is frantically establishing defences fifty miles from Shanghai hoping to check the Reds. Japanese reports state that he is prepared to compromise with the Reds in regard to .Shanghai in order to avoid fighting. Several high officials have fled to Japan as the result of developments. Others are taking refuge with the Chinese Defence Commissioners. A manifesto denhss that Sun has been beaten and state that he is prepared to defend Shanghai to the last man. The Hangchow railway is a scene of confusion. Only military trains are running. The local Cantonese are jubilant at the turn of events and are planning demonstrations to celebrate them from which trouble may be expected. The situation only needs a spark to -start a serious conflagration. The British troops arrived in the nick of time and are considered sufficient for any situation that may arise. Secret meetings of the pro-Canton groups are held daily. The Labour Unions are feverishly agitating for a general strike. Shanghai has to face a danger of threefold character —retreating troops, advancing conquerors and mobs within the city. The length of the settlement boundaries makes them as difficult to guard as the guarding of the foreign settlements. A mob of fifty thousand could pour into the Settlement at a hundred different points on all sides. The British forces are stationed at the most important public utilities in. speciallp erected huts. Sea-planes from the British warships daily reconnoitre the Chinese military lines. — (A. and N.Z.).

STRIKES IN SHANGHAI. ATTEMPT TO FORCE EVACUATION NORTHERNERS RETREATING. (Received Sunday, 5.5 p.m.) PEKIN, February 19. Three route marches by the Tommies and navals with fixed bayonets daily through the Settlement streets of Shanghai had a salutary effect on the natives. It is estimated that seventy per cent, of the Britons in China are in Shanghai under the protection of the British Army and Navy. Synchronising with Sun Chun-f ting’s reverse at Chekiang, the General Labour Union has called a general strike to enforce the demands for the evacuation of Shanghai by both Sun. Chuanfang’s troops and the British troops. All employees at the Post Office struck also the tramwaymen and ’busmen in the French Concession and the cotton workers in all the British mills and some Japanese. The movement is developing. At present the strikers number forty thousand. A picket with staves lined the entrance to the General Post Office and attempted to prevent the indoor staff from entering or working. Subsequently the Postal Commissioner, who is an Englishman, decided to close the Post Office till Monday in order to prevent immediate trouble and confusion. Later in the day the police took the staves from the strikers. Four hundred mill strikers entered a British cigarette company’s factory in the Internationa] Settlement, which employs a thousand workers, and attempted to* intimidate the latter into striking. As a precautionary measure, the management thought i<t wise to close down the factory for the time being. Three of the biggest Chinese stores in the ventre of the International Settlement, employing thousands of assistants, among whom there has been some trouble recently, closed. A seamen’s strike has also’ started. The French Concession waterworkers ’ strike has caused a shortage, in some districts. All of the British troops are confined to their quarters in case of eventualities. .Volunteers are mobilised although not concentrated. Special police have been called out. Latest reports from Chekiang state that the Northerners arc retreating upon Sunkiang, looting en route. Sun has sent many appeals to Chang Sunchang imploring his assistance, but so far there has been no response.—(A. and N.Z.) (An earlier message states that British official circles do not coutcnance the suggestion that the frequence of Cabinet meetings indicates any alarm for British residents in Shanghai in view of the rapid development of the military situation. It is pointed out as a remarkable fact that during the whole period since the evacuation of Hankow there has not been a single case of outrage, robbery, or violence of any kind against the British anywhere in China. Hence at present, while there is satisfaction that our troops are nearing Shanghai in readiness for eventualities there is no suggestion that the present situation demands the despatch of further forces. Experience of Chinese civil -Avars in the past few years has shown that, cities often fail and are retaken without harming or oven seriously inconveniencing foreign residents. Fighting in China is quite unlike the Great War battles. There are seldom serous, blc/ody encounters. The one or the other force generally crumples up after a very half-hearted sort of scrap. The Australian Press Association learns that the new instructions sent to Sir Miles Lampson are a

recommendation to complete the Hankow agreement, suggesting that Chen leave aside the larger matters like the British recognition of the Cantonese Government till subsequent events show whether it is entitled to such a status. The present official idea is to concentrate on an agreement in regard to the small concrete Hankow problem in the hope that this will lead to a settlement of the larger questions later.) THE HANKOW AGREEMENT. DIFFERENCES ADJUSTED. (Received Sunday, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 19. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Pekin correspondent, telegraphing on Friday night, says there is good reason to believe that the Hankow agreement is again ready for signature, the previous difference having been adjusted. —(A. and N.Z.)