CRISIS IN CHINA

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXII, Issue 20, 16 February 1927, Page 6

CRISIS IN CHINA

TWO MILLION UNDER ARMS. ■ -- ■ . , - MUNITIONS FROM RUSSIA.LONDON, Feb. 14. The “Daily Express” Shanghai correspondent says: — “ There are now 2,000,000 under arms in China. Great quantities of aeroplanes, machine guns, and small arms arc coming in, not only from Russia,, which is the. principal source for the Cantonese, but from Franco, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Not a little is landed openly by German steamers, Germany not being a party to the Washington Agreement. Trade in smuggling arms has/been going on, on a colossal scale, since 1923, including a quantity of Remington rifles and other stores left in the neighbourhood of Vladivostock when the American and allied forces ■wore withdrawn in 1918. The Chinese, also, have arsenals at Mukden, Hanyang, Nanking, and elsewhere. POSTAL COMMISSIONERS. SHANGHAI, Feb. 13. All postal commissioners arc foreigners, but it is believed the Nationalist attitude is intended more as a protest against the Peking Government ’s right to make any appointments, especially in Nationalist territory,- than hostility to foreigners. It is reported from Japanese sources that the Peking 'Government has informed London that any agreement regarding Hankow must be ratified by Peking. LEAGUE OPINIONS. GENEVA, Feb. 13. League circles agree that successful intervention in China is impossible, because at present no single government is recognised by the other members. The conviction is growing, that the only solution will be to ask the United States to rc-summon the signatories to the Washington Treaty. Chu, the permanent Chinese representative here, nevertheless, declares that he will represent both Peking and Canton at the next Council, on March 17th. “Wo njay have internal disturbance, but we arc united in external policy.” TROOPS LAND AT SHANGHAI. PEKING, Fob. 14. The first landing of white troops at Shanghai since the Boxer troubles, made the occasion great, though quiet. There was a public demonstration by the foreign population when the Second Gloucester* and Second Durhams landed, after being two days aboard transports at the dockside. Headed by their colours and own bands, with a marine band from His Majesty's vessels in port, 1500 men of the battalions, with full kits and fixed bayonets, marched five miles from the docks to their quarters, through the principal streets. Immense crowds of Chinese lined the route. There was no sign of hostility; DESTINY OF RUSSIA. LONDON, Feb. 12. Mr J. L. Garvin, in the ‘ ‘ Observer, ’ ’ says that the destiny of Russia itself is being fought out in'China. “The Bolshevist failure there will do more than anything else to complete the stabilisation of the world. The future of Germany depends upon this, for the German monarchist and militarist minority rest upon the assumption that the Bolshevist and Chinese Nationalist forces will ruin the British Empire in Asia, and that Russia will help to overturn the existing system in Europe. AGREEMENT NOT SIGNED. NEGOTIATIONS BROKEN OFF. HANKOW, Feb. 15. The agreement between Eugene Chon and Mr O. St. C. O’Malloy has not been signed. It is believed that negotiations have been completely broken off. EARLIER REPORTS. AN OPTIMISTIC FEELING. LONDON, Feb. 14. It is learned that Mr O’Malley was in communication with London during the weck-eiid, and as a result official circles arc optimistic of the early completion of a satisfactory agreement, though in wiew of Eugene Chon’s previous record in. breaking off negotiations at the last minute, nobody is willing to forecast any actual date for the signing. ' No news has been officially received

of any untoward incident at Shanghai, following the landing of the advance guard of troops, but it is emphasised that, though the signature of the Hankow agreement would create an easier and more promising outlook concerning Shanghai, it could not itself justify the immediate deflection of the defence force. The Hankow agreement, it is pointed out, would in the first instance open the "way to the immediate resumption of normal commerce there, which would give an opportunity to test Cantonese good faith and their ability to maintain order. In any case, the situation at Shanghai will demand a fresh set of negotiations between the Chinese and all the Powers concerned, and not only with Britain, as in the case of the Hanknow negotiations. Nevertheless, the l official spokesman does not disguise the feeling that agreement at Hankow may load to a satisfactory settlement at Shanghai more quickly than could have boon expected hitherto. HANKOW 7 , Feb. 14. It is expected that negotiations between Eugene Chen and Mr O’Mallov will conclude to-morrow .