The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-04-15
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Changs Raid of the Soviet
Embassy in Picking
Enrages Russia.
BY EDWARD W. plckARo

BY EDWARD w. PlcKARD
N EvELOPMENTS of the week in
~ China wereri in the direction of
possible declaration of war on the Pc
king government by Soviet Russia,
which action might well be followed
by a general conflict involving at least
some of the treaty powers which have
been giving the northern Chinese
certain measure of support in the civil
warfare. ,. l.~1
Marshal Chang Tso-lin, the Manchu-
riaA boss In the north, learned of a.
plot 10 start radical demonstration
Ia Peking, so he obtained from the
Dutch minister, dean of the diplo-
matte corps, permission to enter and
search the Russian buildings in the
legation quarter. Police and troops
occupied the buildings and arrested
ali the nOnofficial occupants-sixteen
Russians and thirty-four Chinese. A
thorough search of the premises re-
vealed mass of documents, said 10
be discriminating, and quantity of
guns and ammunition. The Picking ALL
thOrities declared the buildings were
the headquarters of the KuOmintang
political commission the local branch
OF the radical party, and the execu-
tive committee of the Third Internal
tiOnafe, and that the seizure had
ayerted serious uprisings in Picking
which would have affected foreigners.
4 '"The menace at Picking is removed,
said Marshal Chang in message TO
Ais generals. '"The trouble-makers' Of
Tense is objectionable. They will be
dealt with according to their deserts"
Which was assumed to mean that they
would be summarily executed.
MDaaow's official opinion Of Changes
coup sfas not been made public at this
writing, but the indignation in the
Soviet capital was extreme. The Rus
sian consul general at Shanghai said
the raid was contrary to the long
established international law of civil
liked countries and is particularly
dangerous in China owing to the fact
that Marshal Chang is likely shortly
to be ouSted by the Cantonese. who
may not be friendly toward certain
other foreign ministries accredited to
the Picking government"
Two American journalists, Mrs. Mil
-1redeB. Mitchell of San Francisco and
Wilbur Burton of Columbus, Ohio,
were arrested in Picking and transport
ed to Tientsin because they were en-
pioyed by organizations favorable to
the Nationalist.
In Changsha, Kiukiang and Annoy
anti-American feeling was rife and
led to strikes and boycotts. Our con-
sular officials in several places closed
their offices and prepared to leave.
Meanwhile every effort was made to
complete the evacuation of American
civilians, and this movement was ex-
tended to northern China, the plan
being to concentrate the Americans
there In Tientsin, whence their re-
moval would be comparatively easy.
The Japanese concession in Hankow
was attacked several times last week
by mobs of natives. Japanese marines
were landed and all Japanese families
were tdAcn dDOdIu uul
pan refused to withdraw from the con-
cession.
The radical faction of the national
fists is growing stronger daily and 1t
was reported that its committee In
Hank0w had dismissed Chang Kali
Shek, the Cantonese commander in
chief. In Shanghai the hope was held
that Chang would refuse to be ousted
and would form a moderate party.
Later dispatches said Chang had OBJ
tanned from the Chinese Bankers as
ISOLATION a loan Of $3,000,000 to
finance the campaign in the north
against Marshal Chang TsO-lin. The
loan was negotiated by the national
EST finance minister, Il. V. SOOng The
Shanghai vernacular papers said
Chang was defying the orders of the
Hankow executive committee and
might shortly declare himself dicta-
tor. with the financial backing of the
Shanghai native merchants and bank
ers. who fear the domination of the
radicals.
The United States and Japan are