Evening star., 1927-04-11

bIIHS on foreign InlLbdiS OCCupitlOl
Of China as well as punitive action.
The chief plan includes taking con
troll of the Yangtze Valley to a poin
beyond Hankow, including Changshe
the capital of Human Province, which
is the center of extreme anti-foreign
ism, as well as some coastal ports, al
to be held until indemnities are paiC
and conditions assure the protection o.
foreign interests.
Two plans of intervention have beer
prepared; firstly, the partial occupa
ton previously stated: secondly, com
plete occupation Of the country, which
will mean taking over the government
dispensing and disarming all Chinese
troops, suppressing banditry and re
storing nationwide order.
The latter plan, it is estimated, would
require 500, 900 to 1000, 600 troops anC
take 10 to Is years to carry out
There is no doubt of a strong diplo
matte effort to bring in America.
Isolation Is Considered.
If that fails the alternative is to
isolate Washington and obtain a free
| hand for a combination embracing
| Great Britain, Japan, France and
Italy.
American consular officials are using
all their resources in an effort to per-
suade Washington to join in strong
action with the other powers. In this
efforts they are giving emphasis to
| narrowing details of anti-foreign out
bursts with the purpose of arouslng
| popular feeling in the United States.
There is much interest here in the
action of Marshal Shang Tso Lin in
closing the Russian embassy at Peking,
which is believed to be due to the ad-
| vice OF the British Minister there.
! That action has been followed by
espionage of the Russian consulate
| here, which is surrounded by police
and volunteer troops under orders OF
the municipal council of the interna-
tional settlement.
This action was planned weeks ago
and was only awaiting a favorable oc-
| casion. 1t as regarded as part of
| broad design to create an impression
abroad that Russian intrigue causes
! the Chinese anti-foreign outbreaks.
Diplomatic Issue Raised.
Local effects are unimportant, but
the procedures raise diplomatic issue,
| because the Russian consul claims the
| Municipal Council has exceeded its au-
thority in violating diplomatic immu-
nifty and also is using the volunteers
without the authority of the foreign
consular body.
He has asked if that consent pre-
viously was obtained and today some
of the consuls of the lesser nations
deny they were ever consulted. Pri-
vately they say only the British and
American consuls were informed, and
the Municipal Council acted without
waiting for approval.
The incident is important only be-
cause of it's international reactions,
showing how the situation steadily
tends to align Russia with China as
against the other powers.
The belief grows among military
and navy experts that the sending OF
foreign troops to China is preliminary
to an expected clash between Great
Britain and Russia. During a recent
talk between Eugene Chen, the Ma
tionalist foreign minister, and Miles
w. Lampson, the British minister,
Chen is reported to have asked: why
does Britain bring her quarrel with
Russia into our country"
People Kept in Panic.
Almost every phase Of the Shanghai
situation is utilized TO create the i'm
preston abroad that foreigners are
greatly endangered. The residents are
kept in a panicky state by stringent
defensive measures and martial activi-
ty, when in reality the. city is I'M
usually quiet except the outlying Chi
nese districts, where small numbers of
armed guerrillaS are still at large and
sometimes snipe at the foreign sol
diers or police from hiding.
About $4,000 foreign armed forces
and police are now here, and 10. 900
more are coming, totaling nearly dou-
BILE the civilian foreigners. The total
Cantonese troops in this vicinity are
fewer than 10000, widely scattered.
Some are being used to try to clean
out the armed irregulars, which is
difficult because it is hard to discover
them in the densely populated Chinese
sections.
/ talked to leading Chinese mem
ber of the right wing of the Kuomin-
tang party, who was educated in
America. l cannot use his name be-
cause Of a fear of reactions.
Suspicious of Troops.
1--WE Chinese cannot believe" he
said, that so many foreign troops
and naval forces are being sent solely
to protect the limited number of for
eigners in Shanghai. Therefore, we
are suspicious of the real purpose of
the powers. When the first troops
were ordered here the reaction on the
Chinese was much the same as the
first mobilization which led to the
World War.
From this point we know that
force stands in the background of all
negotiations and clouds the efforts to
obtain a peaceful and mutually agree
able solution
On the other hand, a section of for.
eign opinion is trying to prevent any
negotiations affecting local questions
| and the status of the international
settlement. The municipal council
will not discuss differences with the
Chinese, preferring to stand pat, while
the home governments permit the
deadlock
People who desire pacific outcome
and do not want to use force until
every effort to quiet the situation by
compromise has failed begin to feel
that the only hope lies in taking mat
terS entirely away from the local
council and consular officers and put.
ting it into the hands Of the higher
diplomats or of special delegates.
Issue Not to Be Forced.
Groups of Americans, including mis-
sionaries, have decided to urge that
course upon Washington and urge
| meantime that our forces here alb
stain from aggressive gestures. Both
Chinese and foreigners who want a
peaceable solution are inhibited by
the hysteria following recent events
and kept alive by the incessant stress
ing of the peril alleged to be facing
foreigners here
1t is almost impossible to take a
reasonable view of the situation in
| the midst of such an atmosphere. This
| is why other counsels are thought
-Where courtesy prevails