Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-27
OFFICIALS HERE ALARMED
AT LATEST CHINESE ADVICES

1 from southern waters TO San Diego
after ii had been determined she could
| reach that port by the time the
Marines were assembled and equipped
| to go aboard. The possibility of using
the Army transport Chateau ThierrS
at San ranciscO was considered fof
time, but abandoned as unneces
sary.
II seems likely that todays consid
Grafton of using troops from Manila
or Honolulu was more in the nature
of survey of possibilities in the flu
ture than an immediate question
American policy has been to use navaI
forces in such emergencies, relying
on the ships for importation and
the amphibious Marines for landing
parties. backed up by sailor battalions
If necessary
1t is an accepted notice that ONLY
protection of American Nationals In
disturbed areas in foreign countries
is involved. Any landing Of American
troops might be read as an intent to
seize and hold territory or orga nize
punitive expedition, on the other
hand, and in view Of the delicacy of
the situation in China, use of troops
pfooabiy Will be avoided unless there
rs no other way of giving America ms
in China hope of escape.
Protest Made to Chen.
There were developments TODAY. also
~ the diplomatic aspect of the Nan.
king outrages. BY direction of Min
!ster MacMurray, Consul General
Lockhart at Hankow has already Wig.
ofousiE protested to Eugene Chen,
cantonese foreign minister, and de.
nlanded OF the Cantonese de facto gov.
eminent steps to prevent similar oc-
currences elsewhere. Arrival of the
military head Of the de facto regime at
Shanghai, Chang kai-shek, proba bly,
means that similar representations Of
an equally urgent nature have been
made to him by Gauss as to the situa-
ton In all the Yangtze River ports
where Americans are threatened with
similar attacks.
Much may depend upon the re.
sponses made by these two Cantonese
leaders to the American represe nta-
tiFes. The whole question of the at,
tltude OF the Washington Government
toward the Cantonese regime is bound
up IN the willingness it's leaders show
IN sooh Iahh to stamp out rioting and
vloience against Americans and the
obstruction OF American property.
heretofore, both Chen and Cha ng have
es and protect Americans.
Protection Sole Object.
That protection is the immediate
concern OF President Coolidge and his
advisers and the sole object Of all
American naval activities. No thought
mas yet been given in Washington
even to the question of repa rations
FOR American lives taken or property
destroyed. vital as that question may
De to the Americans concerned. ii
is doubtful that a time to call for
reckoning I'm that regard can be ex-
pected before the Chinese civil wer
mas reached some definite phase and
established one or the other factions
as the controlling authority for the
whole country. or else divide China
into two separate countries, a result
which it has been indicated the Wash
ington Government would deplore.
Should the Cantonese political and
military heads fail to take proper
steps In regard to tho plight of Amsri.
cans along the YangtZe, or should
they neglect to repudiate the Nankjng
outra8es by more than words, there
- little doubt that the Washington
Government would take cogniza nee of
the fact in shaping it's future policy
In China.