The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 5, 1927, Page 12

Cantonese Correspondence Canton, December 25, 1926. Britain is rumored to have addpted a new policy toward China. This polic¥ is supposed to have been defined in the conversations at Hankow between Mr. Miles Lampson, newly appointed Brit- ish Minister to Peking, and Mr. Eugene Chen, Min- ister for Foreign Affairs of the Nationalist Gov- ernment. It is supposed also to have been*the detri- ment of the note sent by-the British Charge d’Af- faires in Peking to the ministers of the powers signatory to the Washington agreement. Much attention has been given to this new alleged policy of Britain, in the Chinese and the world press. Although no authoritative version either of the note or the conversations has been given out, fairly complete summaries of the context of the notes have been printed both here and in England. These proposals and the conversations at Hankow, which are reported to have been “cor- dial,” have been greeted in some circles as indica- tive of a new and better policy on the part of Britain. Comment has varied. Papers heretofore anti- nationalist in tone have welcomed the new “policy” ag a timely solution which will go far toward set- tling the differences between China and the Powers. The nationalist press, on the other hand; has not been jubilant. The contradictions between the as- sumptions made in the British press that it is now the intention of London to recognize the Nationalist Government within the limits of territory under its control, and the program reported to be proposed in the note have been pointed out. In regard to the conversations, nationalist supporters are assuming tke attitude of unconvinced spectators. The London government gave to Mr. Lampson certain extra- ordinary powers for his meeting with the represen® tative of the Nationalist Government, but these powers also seem to have extended to his dealings with anti-nationalist military chiefs. He is reported to have visited Sun Chuan-fang on his way to Han- kow. He called upon Marshal Chang Tso-Lin at Tientsin, after leavng Hankow. In regard to the note, the nationalists are hot so non-committal. From reports both from Peking and from England, it would seem that there is in that note no mention of recognition of the Nationalist government but only of willingness to permit the Nationalist government, as well as Peking, to col- lect. 2 1-2 and 5 per cent surtaxes. This has its humorous side in the south, where the taxes are al- ready being collected. The Chinese press bitterly denounces this pro- posal. This policy on the part of Britain assumes the continuation of the enforcement of the unequal treaties upon which the Washington agreement is based, it is pointed out. Further, the suggestion is looked upon as a poorly disguised attempt to give financial assistance to the anti-nationalist force and still not appear partisan in the eyes of the world. Such a proposal is entirely in conflict with the nationalist policy, it is pointed out, and it is taken for granted that the Foreign Minister at Hankow made it clear to Mr. Lampson that the government is firmly committed to a policy of achieving the full nationalist aims which include the abolition ~ of unequal treaties and the abrogation of all treaty rights. Another ‘point is brought out in the nationalist comment. These 2 1-2 and 5 per cent taxes are al- ready being collected in Kwangtung, and all ar- rangements have been made to collect them in the rest of the territory under nationalist control. This has been done without consultation with the powers. Nationalist China would not, therefore, profit by this new proposal, although the anti-nationalists would profit enormously. Further, foreign banks would profit. The collection of these taxes in the south is being made through Chinese financial ma- chinery and not through the foreign banks as in the case of the customs. Therefore, so far as national- ist China is concerned, the new plan would mean nothing but the doubtful advantage of the “sanc- tion” of the powers, and the extremely disadvan- tageous transfer of the collection of taxes from Chinese to foreign hands. There is much speculation in foreign as well as Hew Dare You Endanger Our Lives and heabilite: —Thomas in the Detroit News. Chinese circles about the meaning of the increas- ing naval concentration in Chinese waters. The third flotilla from Malta reached here some time ago and was followed by cruisers from the East Indian Squadron. Now we are told the fourth flo- tilla is on its way, allegedly to replace the third. Indignant comment appears in the Chinese press and even in foreign circles there is much wonder about the signifcance of this war-like demonstration. The advance of the nationalist forces into Cheki- ang Provinee, adjacent to Kiangsu Province in which lies*the port. of Shanghai, continues. There is every indication that a winter campaign will take place. Anti-nationalist forces are reported to be coming from Shangtung along the Tientsin-Pukow Railway. The vanguard of these troops is already reported in Nanking on the south side of the river. On the other hand, the nationalist troops have been advancing unchecked ‘and there are well-substanti- ated reports of a refusal to fight on the part of several of Sun Chuan-fang’s generals in Chekiang. These reports have received confirmation in the withdrawal of Sun’s forces which were intrenched at Kashing in the northern part of Chekiang, to Sunkiang, in southern Kiangsu. Nationalist forces are pressing on toward the river. Military reports state that preparations are under way for an attack-on Nanking and Shanghai® to be undertaken simultaneously by troops advanc- ing from Anking in Anhui, from Kiangsu and from Chekiang. Far up the river in West Hupeh, the capture of Ichang is reported, which will probably lead to de- cisive developments in West Hupeh and Szechuan. An event of major importance in the military By Y. F. NAI field this week has been the advance of the Kuo- minchun out of Shensi into Honan. Several towns in Honan have been taken and the defending gen- eral is reported to have fled for help first to Chang Tsung-Chang in Shantung, then to Sun Chuan-Fang in Kiangsu and finally to Wu Pei-Fu in Honan. . None of these generals seemed to be in a position to help him. No action against the nationalist forces either by Feng-Tien or Wu Pei-Fu troops, is reported along the Peking-Hankow railway in Honan. Wu Pei-Fu is still trapped between his old enemies and _ his former allies, the latter now apparantly as hostile as the former. Conditions in the northern capital are unchanged. Precarious finances still handicap the actions of the so-called northern government. The Minister of Finance, Mr. Pan Fu, is pleading without results, for small:loans from the local Chinese bankers. The various military leaders of the anti-nationalist forces are making money by working their print- ing presses, but the people are growing increasingly wary of currency which is rooted in printers’ ink and not in silver reserves. In Kwangtung, things remain calm. The sup- pression of banditry is going on. At the Sin-Indo- China border the pirates who killed a French Con- sul recently have been captured and executed. Troops have been sent to clear the land zone around Biass ‘Bay and notification has been given to the Hong- kong Government to arrest any pirates running across the frontier. There are reports of direct ac- tion against the pirate chief, Lo Kwai, a supporter of the rebel chief, Chen Cheung-Ming, who still makes his headquarters in Hongkong. On the ‘Road Up Hankow Way (With thanks to Rudyard Kipling for the jingle.) By the mighty Yang Tse River, surggn’ eastward to the sea, There’s a Chinese soldier watchin’ and I know he waits for me, For the wind the flood is sweepin’ and methinks I hear ’im say: “Come you on you British soldier—come you on up Hankow way.” Come you on up Hankow way, Where the Canton armies lay, Can’t you hear their cannons roarin’, can’t you see the airmen play, , On the road up Hankow way. Where the spittin’ maxims slay, ; Where the dawn of freedom’s comin’, crimson red up Hankow way. Is uniform is yaller ‘with little tabs 6f green, : An ’is rifle an’ his bay’net they look most awful mean, While the open door’s ’is motto an’ he means it sure enough For.’ell ’elp us thru it flyin’ with a freeman’s kick that’s tough. Guns and bay’nets made of steel, Gawd’s strewth they make you feel, That the hempire’s nearly banjaxed; just ’ear them tommies squeal On the road up Hankow way, Neath the screamin’ shrapnel’s spray, Where the dawn of Freedom’s comin’, crimson red up Hankow way. Well we’re cooped up ’ere in Shanghai with the warships in the saad An’ a barbed wire fence around us an’ no Supi Yaws to play, Their little tinklin’ banjoes for we aint in Mandalay, An’ them Chinese on the warpath comin’ down from Hankow way. “Bloomin’ Chinks” we used to say, (We were safe in Mandalay.) But they cut away their pigtails and they chased us all the way, Down the bloomin’ Yang Tse River, To our gunboats in the bay, : An’ the dawn of freedom’s comin’, crimson red up Hankow way. Ship us somewhere West of Suez—ship me the very first, For the Cantonese are comin’ the plunderbund to burst, And there aint no ten commandments to stop them in the fray, For them Chinks can fight like blazes as they come from Hankow way. Comin’ down from Hankow way, We may sleep in Chinese clay, - An’ I ’ear them Chinese singin’ while the rapid firers ring, On the road up Hankow way, Comin’ nearer to the bay, For the dawn. of freedom’s comin’, crimson red up Hankow way. R. Monteith, pitibcaiiee inc cian ae ets: @ die Pail,