A BLACK OUTLOOK

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10305, 14 January 1927, Page 5

A BLACK OUTLOOK

RIOTING COMMENCES AT SHANGHAI THOUSANDS OF WORKERS ATTACK FOREIGN OVERSEERS. 'BLOODSHED FEARED. PLOT TO CUT OFF RICE SUPPLIES. (United Press Assn.—Copyright.) SHANGHAI, Jan. 12. The first disorders presaging an era of unrest and the possibility of a general strike occurred in a riot at the British cotton mill, no doubt instigated by “red” agitators. Three thousand male and female Workers attacked a handful of foreign overseers and smashed the machinery, necessitating police reinforcements. Several officers were badly mauled, but fire hoses and a revolver display dispersed the mob after an hour’s fight. it is expected the trouble will spread to all the other mills and eventually there will be a repetition of the events preceding last year's disorders, culminating on May 30 wriii shooting. The authorities are aware that a plot is afoot to cut off the rice supplies from Shanghai, the Cantonese intending to throw a belt around the producing areas of the country and preventing entry to Shanghai, thereby increasing the discontent among the laborers and causing riots. The Municipal Council is recruiting volunteers to assist the naval forces and the police in the defence of the settlement.

In response to the Nationalist troops seizing American mission property at Shaowu and other parts of Fukien, the American authorities have ordered the missionaries to leave in some places and prepare for immediate departure in others.—A and N.Z.C.A.

CHINESE FOREMAN SHOT DEAD. REDS HAVE OTHER “KEY” WORKERS MARKED. SHANGHAI, Jan. 12. A Chinese foreman of the Shanghai foreign settlement tramways, while driving in a rickshaw in a quiet part of the settlement, was attacked by three Chinese and shot dead. Tlie assailants, escaped. The victim was the man who, following the affair on May 30, 1925, did more than anybody else to get the tramway services resumed and to keep the Chinese workers at their post. The authorities consider the crime more than ordinarily significant. It is known that the “Reds” have marked down for killing several “key” workers, whose opposition to the strike agitators stand in the way of their aims. The present victim was one.—A. and N.Z.C.A. TAPANESE SYMPATHY WITH BRITAIN. TOKIO PRESS WARNS CANTONESE. __ TOKIO, Jan. 12. Though hitherto the press has refrained from much comment on the Yangtse situation, the leading papers are now expressing sympathy with Britain, whose perseverance and fortitude displayed at Hankow and Kiukiang is highly praised and is considered to reflect British wisdom. The Asahi, which reflects the general attitude of the vernacular press, urges the Cantonese to exercise more self-control warning them that otherwise they will bring about the united action of the Powers against China, resulting in -anton ultimately losing everything gained.—A. and'N.Z.C.A.

FRANCE M’ILL LOOK ON AT PRESENT. READY FOR ANY AGGRESSION. (Received Jan. 13, 7.50 p.m.) PARIS, Jan. 12. Cabinet decided to maintain a watchful policy in China, but at the same time will be ready to meet any aggression. It is learned that active naval and military preparations are in progress in case eventualities should arise.—A.N.Z.C.A.

BRITISH CABINET DISCUSSES POSITION. PACIFIC POLICY BELIEVED APPROVED. SERIOUS ANTLBRITISH RIOTING AT SHANGHAI. (Received Jan. 13, 7.55 p.m.) LONDON, _ Jan. 13. Sir A. Trenchard, Chief of the Air Force, was summoned to yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, at which Sir Austen Chamberlain made a most detailed statement regarding happenings in China. The meeting lasted ninety minutes. A number of members were absent abroad. Most political correspondents affirm that no decision was reached, Ministers awaiting a report from Mr O’Malley regarding conversations with Chen. The Daily Express, however, states that Cabinet gave approval to a pacific- policy, the whole desire being that bloodshed shall be avoided. This is the first review of the situation since the Christmas holidays. Mr Baldwin felt that no further time should be lost in consulting with those [Ministers available. It is understood Mr O’Malley is not empowered to discuss the Treaty policy and is instructed to seek solely to avert a conflict. In the same issue the Daily Express’ Shanghai correspondent reports serious anti-British rioting has broken out. A mob of three thousand Chinese workmen attempted to smash the machinery at two cotton mills, but were repulsed by foreign fire brigade men, with hoses.—A.N.Z.C.A.

IMPORTANCE OF SHANGHAI. BOTH CHINESE FORCES AFTER CUSTOMS REVENUE. (Received Jan. 13, 10.20 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 13. The Times points out that Shanghai is the “key” to the position both from the Chinese and from the international viewpoint, and victory there for the Kuomintung Government might prove decisive in the more difficult task of achieving dominance over Northern China. The Customs revenue is greater in Shanghai than elsewhere, and this is naturally the object of keen interest to the political forces contending for supremacy.. It is welcome nows, therefore, that Cabinet is alert, and there may be yet time to carefully decide tactics and policy. Already there are indications of a revolutionary propaanda, which always precedes a Kuomintuang offensive being attempted in Shanghai.—A., and N.Z.C.A. STRIKE AND BOYCOTT AT OIIANSHA. (Received Jah. 13, Midnight.) PEKING. Jan. 13 A ’wireless from Ohansha states that a general strike and boycott have begun. Arrangements are being made at Ichang to evacuate 400 British .and 200 Americans from Szechuan.—A.N.Z.C.A.

TENSION IN HANKOW LESSENED. EVACUATION OF FOREIGNERS IN INTERIOR DIFFICULT. BRITISH CONSUL LEAVES KHJKIANG (Received Jan.. 13, 10.45 t p.mA PEKING, Jan. 12. Mr O’Malley had Two hours' conference with Chen at the Foreign. Office' at Hankow. No statement has been issued, but the tension is undoubtedly lessened and Britishers are now able to move freely around the eoncession. News from up the river indicates that evacuation of foreigners' from the interior is proving difficult owing to the general boycott, the result of > which is that no boats, other cpnveniences or coolies, are available, and many are compelled to walk; Foreigners arriving from Iviukiang state that the Cantonese are stationed as sentries in the concession. A dozen foreign men remaining are distributed between the.warships Scarab and Wyvern. They were able to reach safety only with much difficulty owing to obstruction from the mob, The British Consul managed to remove the archives before sealing the Consulate, which so far has not been molested. He is now living aboard the steam launch, from which the Consular flag still Hies. The French Commissioner of Customs is also functioning aboard the launch. Some thirteen foreigners, including women and children, are still' at Ruling, where they elected to remain, although advised to leave.—A. and N.Z.C.A. BRITAIN MUST EXERCISE PATIENCE. SIR JAMES’ ALLEN’S VIEW. DUAEDLN, Jan. 13. At the jubilee celebration of the Tuapeka County last evening in Lawrence Sir James Allen expressed thankfulness that Britain had preserved calm in the Chinese hubbub and luid done nothing to augment bad feeling either from China or the other nations. Sir James added that it was impossible at present to come to any conclusion on the Chinese questions. He said we must exercise profound patience and be careful to do nothing that could be wrongly interpreted. At the end our patience u ould be rewarded.—P'.A.

A GUIDE TO THE PUZZLE. hi I LIT AR Y LEADERS’'. DESERTIONS. The following communication, now just a month old, received by a Vancouver exchange from its Pekin correspondent, may be useful to readers endeavouring to unravel the Chinese tangle, firstly, as giving the names of the chief leaders in an intelligible relationship to one another, and then as showing how little reliance is to be-placed on promises of co-operation between any two or more of them. Treachery, that incalculable but ever-present factor in Chinese civil warfare, may yet pave,the way for a sane solution of China’s troubles, in the opinion of many close observers. It has been treachery which i'or months past has set at naught the forecast of foreign military experts and which rendered apparently simple campaigns impossible to understand in the financial outcome. Treachery has reduced Chinese civil wars, in short, to a phantasmagoria wherein leaders and troops shift sides at the sign of a silver dollar. In spite of brave talk concerning “the man on horseback’-' who was to unite all China by force, the fact remained that no sooner did one man rise Than all the others started to pull him down. Wu Pei-fu preaches “forcible unification,” and \Yu to-day roams the wide open spaces with, a handful of rag-tag and bob-tail soldiery. Chang Tso-lin sought foreign aid as “the strong man of China,” yet now he holds Pekin most precariously and has grave financial trouble in his own home provinces in Manchuria.

STANDS FOR IDEA. -Canton’s army, whatever else may be said for it, hangs together on a basis of something more than the personality of its leader, Chains Kaishek. It stands for an idea. Its present drive northward is the “Northern Expedition” of which the late Sun Yhit-sen dreamed a dream so intense that it fastened itself immovably in the minds of all Canton. Because it stands for an ick a—whether good or bad is open to debate the Canton army has thus far been immune to treachery within its ranks. And because opposing' a rimes have been based oil the old-time personal equation, treachery has been behind every one. of their numerous reverses.

Even the recent capture ci 'bcliang after stubborn resistance i> said to have - been finally due to an opening of the city gates by traitors within. Whether true or not, this story finds its duplicate in in a’ i a another tale of undoubted truth._ Less than two years ago. the "Christian General.” Feng Tuhisiang. started Marshall Wu Pei-fu on the toboggan slide which he is still travelling through Feng's act in abandoning the anti-Chang Tso-lin campaign and entering Peking city gates, which were onened to liim from within. The Hankow “Herald - ’ has an interesting account of the chain of treachery which has attended ( the present ' Cantonite northern drive. The Southerners were logically to be opposed bv Sun Chuan-fang of the Shanghai area, Wu Pei-fu around Hankow, and various minor leaders notably including one Chin Yun-ao.

declined TO ACT. < — tVu assured himself that Sun uould work with him. and on this assurance, drove into southern Hupeh province Instead of taking forces down into Hunan from Iviangsi, as expected. Sun roosted on the fence and declined to act—having score Jy ao-rced with Chin Yun-ao that thev would allow Wu to be defeated and then with Wu out of the p< uucal picture, would drive the Cantomtes southward again. , Wu called to Sun for help, did not oot it, and called for Chin. C lin s men took 'a look at the fighting limit and came back liot-feoted. So Mu packed up and went north, d mealed. The time had come for Chm to help Sun, but in a matter of days he too was fleeing, since Sun gave him no support. Finally Sun, having 1 ‘double-crossed’ ’ both Vu _ and C hui, finds himself in turn lacking m the support which lie hoped to get- Lorn Chans Tso-lin of Manchuria, and hi in turn seems due for elimination.