New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-04-07
EMBASSY RAID May
CAUSE Open BREAK
London Forecasts Red Drive at
Tso-Lin's Strongholds

'oN"S VII Vic IIhelS consequences
OF yesterdays raid on buildings at
tached to the soviet embassy tn
Picking by soldiers OF the northern
army OF Marshal Chang Tso-Lin.
Nothing was known as to Moscow's
attitude. but it was thought that
strong action might be taken, the
guess rumors including the posi-
hility that the soviets would treat
the incident as an act of war and
demand reparalion or otherwise at
tack Chang Tso-Lin through Man
ohuria.
The average Londoner was inter
ested In the exact reason for the
raid. Outstanding among the rea-
sons discussed was one advanced
by the Westminster Gazette. on the
basis OF information In we'll in
formed circles In close touch with
Chinese Russian affairs, that It
was ordered because OF the discov-
cry of q plot against the Picking
government Matched under soviet
auspices. The plan, as described by
TINS newspaper, was to have the
plot coincide with the expected
Cantonese advance on Shanghai.
Among the 7o-odd persons ar
rested in the raid - % Russians
and about so Chinese - were the
staff of the Dahlbank. prominent
Chinese asjtator, Ii Ta-Chao, and
three girl students. Red flags,
propaganda leaflets. machine gun,
a trench mortar, bombs. rifles,
thousands of Kuomintang Canton
ese political partly flags and a
supply of ammunition are reported
to have been seized
Information received by the
counsel-general at Shanghai from
the soviet embassy at Picking was
that several Russian watchmen
seized in the course OF the raid.
were beaten and tortured" This
agrees with other ac-
counts that the raid was confined
to one part OF the embassy grounds.
the main embassy Offices, the
and archives not being
A Reuter- despatch from Picking,
saying the raid was not on the
soviet embassy proper. added that
it was pointed out in Picking that
the soviet flag was not flying over
the embassy yesterday morning. but
over fhc section raide5
Official quarters in Paris had
that the Chinese au-
thorities asked permission OF the
corps to search the Rus
sian bank situated in the legation
quarter, which quarter has enjoyed
immunity since 1901.
The bank, 1t was declared. occu-
pied the former Russian post Office
no longer In existence,
and did not enjoy diplomatic i'm
since the soviet government
renounced all It's privileges in
China).
A short time before the raid was
out, two American journal
lists Mrs. Mildred Mitchell, for
merly OF San Francisco and Homo
lulu, and Wilbur Burton We're
detained at hotel, ostensihly be-
cause Of their connection with the
which have been
charged with hostility to the north
orn cause. No direct accusation
was made against them by Marshal
Chang Tso-Lin's agents. but it was
reported this morning that they
were still under close guard. The
Westminster Gazette learned that
they probably vii be delivered TO
the American authorities today and
he transferred to Tientsin for trial
by A consular court under the ex-
Internationally law. The news
papers Picking correspondent says
It is thought the American govern
ment will order them TO leave
China if charges against them are
proved.
Relations between General Chang
commander-in-ch chief OF
the Cantonese armies, who is now at
and Cantonese headquar-
ters at Hankow have been further
obscured. Foreign sources in Shang-
hal learned that he had received
word from the executive committee
OF the Cantonese political party at
Hankow to proceed to Marking to
resume military operations and In
him not to reveal any for
eign policy or to receive any COM
from any imperial
lists"
According to some interpretations,
transference Of Chiang's troops to
Marking would be part OF an ener-
gized Cantonese push toward Pc
king. 1t is rumored that General
Chow Feng-Chi, noted extremist
will replace him at Shanghai with
fresh troops.
Shanghai dispatches shed no light
on Chiang's reaction to these In
strucions. which aroused discussion
as to whether the committee sent
them In an effort to reunite dissent
ing factions of the Cantonese or
whether the move presaged the
of Chang as political
factor. His action yesterday In
closing the Shanghai office OF the
political bureau was looked upon in
some quarters as direct challenge
10 the Hankow authorities.
Great Britain's determination not
to recede from her position in China
was reiterated In the house OF COM
mons by Sir Austen Chamberlain.
the foreign secretary. while the
Chinese question was under discus
sion yesterday. Great Britain Is
not prepared to be hustled out OF
China" he declared. The British
policy was unchanged. and it was
before this policy could be
carried further that Great Britain
should know what was to be the at
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