EVENTS IN SHANGHAI

Wairarapa Age, 26 February 1927, Page 5

EVENTS IN SHANGHAI

GENERAL STRIKE AT AN END.

OFFICIALLY CALLED OFF. POSTAL AND TRANSPORT SERVICES RESUME. 1 (Received Friday, 7 p.m.) SHANGHAI. February 24. The general strike has been officially called off by the General Labour Union. Fifty thousand workers have returned, and the balance is expected to return tomorrow. The Post Office and trams have resumed. The authorities in the foreign settlements are circulating confidential notices to foreigners residing in Chinese territory in the outlying districts and settlements, warning them to be prepared to, centralise on short notice in the event of the present situation developing seriously. Thirteen hundred United States marines have arrived from San Diego. The situation is quiet. The execution of agitators is decreasing. There is considerable Chinese military activity, but little fighting. The opposing forces are jockeying for a position in what is expected to be the deciding fight for the possession of Shanghai.— (A. and N.Z.)

CHANG IN CONTROL. CHINESE PAPERS SILENT. MILITARY PREPARATIONS. SHANGHAI, February 24. Still no Chinese papers are being published. Although they are not prohibited from publication, the conductors of the Press feel that in the present circumstances it is impossible to publish news of the situation which would not offend the authorities or the Kuomintang. The Chinese military authorities recently warned editors and proprietors of Chinese newspapers that they would be shot if they published Labour manifestoes. Ten thousand strikers, mostly cottonmfll hands, have returned and now only 50,000 of the original 120,000 are still out. The Post Office position is unchanged. It is generally believed that the strike will finish in a couple of days. Hie collapse is due to: (1) Lack of funds; (2) refusal of the Chinese merchant's to elose their shops; (3) (this applies only to the Native City) terrorism.

Both foreign settlements are tranquil. A few retreating soldiers of Sun Chuan-fang’s army have arrived bytrain from the front.

Shantung troops are arriving by train from Nanking. Their destination is believed to be tie Sung-Tsiang front. Every precaution is being taken to keep troops outside the settlement boundaries. All foreigners living in a more or less isolated condition outside the extended settlement limits are being brought inside in case of eventualities in view of the arrival of Sun’s retreating troops. Disquieting reports have reached officials to the effect that Sun Chuanfang’s troops are looting rica and sflk shops in Sunkiang, twenty miles to the south-westward. Many soldiers have been executed by order of their own leaders in an effort to maintain discipline in the face of the Southern advance, which, if it continues, may become a race between Chang Tsungchang and the Nationalists for Shanghai. Three thousand Shantung troops are now here from Nanking. It is understood that 500 are coming daily in the next few days for the defence of Shanghai.

Chang Tsung-chang has now talreii over complete military control in Kiangsu.—(A. and N.Z.)

DEFENCE OF SHANGHAI. TROOPS OF POWERS CO-OPERATE. AN EMERGENCY MEASURE. (Received This Day, 0.45 a.m.). PEKIN, February 25. As the result of a new development overnight, the British, French, Tt-han and Japanese forces at noon to-day mobilised and threw a cordon round the foreign settlements, which are twenty miles in circumference. It is believed that the disruption of Sun Chuanfang’s forces and the fact that Chang Chung Chang is an .untried .military leader caused tills emergency measure. The American forces have not yet landed.