Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, DEC. 4, 1926. THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 4 December 1926, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, DEC. 4, 1926. THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

It is very difficult to assess the true position m China at the present time. That a very dangerous situation exists there, more particularly in Southern China, Canton Province being a see tilingcauldron of intrigue fomented by Sovie| agents and the “Reds,” is beyond question. To all intents and purposes, however, there is no Government worthy of the name able to speak for the country as a whole, or with whom the Powers interested in China can possibly deal. The Cantonese government, such as it is, under “Red” domination appears powerless to protect the lives of the foreign residents in the Concessions or Settlements, and is, indeed, more than suspected of an intention to drive every foreigner out of the country. The full force of mob fury would seem to have been levelled against the British in particular. That came as a natural sequence to .the boycott of British trade instituted some months ago, and in that the hand of the Soviet Russian Government is clearly discernible. Through their agents, the Russian Communist Dictators have been “educating” the Chinese in Communist doctrines and theories and today, throughout Pekin, Canton and other places they have established hundreds of Communist schools. The Kuomingtang foundation in Pekin controlled quite a large number of these schools and even the Girls’ Normal Schools are all disseminating Communistic theories. A new generation is rising up in the industrial portions of China and in the great seaports of that country. All this is part of the policy designed to help the Communists bring about that “direct action” which is favoured by our own industrialists in this country. The Nationalistic aspirations of the students are also being played upon to foment industrial unrest in order to upset the existing order of things, and all over China the branches of Communism are being used to bring about “direct action” for the overthrow of governments antagonistic to Communism. Our readers may remember that Mrs Philip'Snowden, when visiting Russia in the earlier days of Soviet rule, took note of the fact, afterwards mentioned in the published account of her impressions, that in Moscow great warehouses were filled with Communistic literature printed in every known tongue and intended for use in bringing about the overthrow of all so-called Capitalistic (otherwise non-Communistic) Governments. As early as 1919. in dozens of book stores in

Shanghai it was possible to procure seditious literature both in the Chinese and English . languages, and a speaker at the Constitutional Defence League at one of the mass meetings held in Shanghai, some months ago, stated that direct evidence was forthcoming to show the complicity of the Russian authorities in the sale of that literature. In 1920 a group, of Soviet agitators began working to bring all the Chinese elements of Communism into direct touch with the Russian elements in Siberia, and Chicherin began the negotiations which ended in the recognition of the Soviet by China. When that was accomplished the full elements of Communism were let loose in Shanghai and have been at work leavening the masses ever since.