1940-03-26

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

CHINESE MINORITIES IN SIAM UNDER HEAVY PRESSURE OF LAWS

SPECIAL TO THE H.K. DAILY PRESS

the

Foreign business and Chinese minorities in Siam are under heavy pressure of laws and regulations promulgated by Siamese rovernment, according to a Chinese university graduate. just arrived in Hongkong, as a refugee from that country.

Ever since the interchange of good-will missions between Sin and Japan, the position of the Chinese in Slam has been precarious. There are Japanese advisers in the Siamese govern- ment, according to the traveller. and government projects, un- der the direction of Japanese te chnicians, have been put for- ward to make Siam self-sufficient "and Independent of foreign business concerns

Another influence of Japan is fall the subjects in schools, ex- seen in the maintenance of the cepting foreign languages, were, Siamese navy. many of whose to be taught in Siamese. accord- ships

con- ing "to the latest law passed. gunboats were structed in Japan, while officers Siamese government officials have of the Siamese fleet have been been trained in Japan.

and

making investigations in Chinese schools, and all those Since July 1939. the Slames that broke the law were promptly Government has made certain oil closed. Almost all the schools were regulations with special regard to found guilty of disobeying the two all companies having According to the university branch omees In Siam student, who was personally ac- "the Asiatic Petroleum Company quainted with faculty members of and the Standard-Vacuum On the Chung Hua Middle School- Company, both of which have the biggest Chinese educational been directly affected. Japanese Institution in Slam-the school engineers are helping the Siamese itself was closed by the Govern- government to buld an oil re-ment Investigators, although it finery, with the purpose of mak- had obeyed all the regulations ing Slam independent of the Bri-regarding the teaching of Slam- tish and American .oll companies, ese. It appears that as the Govern- while Japanese ships now trans- ment men were making an in- port oll to Stam. The local offices spection of the Chung Han Middle of the Asiatic Petroleum Company School, and had so far found declined to confirm ΟΙ deny everything according to regula- knowledge of the above conditions, they discovered a Chinese tlons, when contacted on the schoolboy's composition written in telephone, while an official of the Chinese, which complained of the Sucony Vacuum Corporation in unfairness of the Siamese Gov- Hongkong admitted that although emment in trying to make Chin- the company has at the present a ese: children forget their branch office in Stam, "the con-language, and learn everything in tinuation of bustness is proble-Siamese. Upon this discovery the matical, on account, of the new School was promptly shut down, regulations put out by the govern-

ment of Slam.”

Own

on the charge that the faculty didn't teach the students to re- spect the Siamese Government.

NO PROPER SCHOOLING

HEAVY IMPORT DÜMES According to the university graduate, half a year ago the At present almost all the Chin- Stamese government has put out ese children of school age in Slam heavy import duties to discourage have no proper schooling. The foreign business, since to, Stam all richer parents serid their children the business big and small is in back to China to study. On ac- the hands of foreigners and Chin-count of the law providing com- ese, who especially control the pulsory education for all children retail business in the country. In under thirteen, Chinese children, Slam there

three distinct bereft of their schools, must now classes, the upper, consisting of attend Siamese Siamese Government officials, the schools, otherwise middle class of foreign and Chin- ese business men, and the lowest class consisting of the Siamese coolle and labouring class.

are

Government their parents are fined, and the boy taken for- cibly to school by the Government. Once in Bangkok, there were eleven Chinese newspapers, but The Siamese national economic ten of them have been closed by "polley is to drive out all foreign the Government, on the charge economic power-the Chinese be- that they were anti-Japanese. The ing the most powerful-and to Slamese Government now plans to encourage lamese to engage in business themselves,

suppress all the Chinese newspapers in the country; and to publish a Life for the Chinese now in single Chinese-language daily, un- Siam ia very difficult. The der Japanese auspices, for propa. Siamese Government has stlifened ganda purposes. the Chinese immigration law, con- Many patriotic Chinese used to siderably restricting the entry of subscribe to the Chinese Chinese, whereas in the years Fund, However, since Slam is stat- War past they could freely come and fed to be neutral in the Sino-Ja go, as they do in Hongkong. A few panese War, the Chinese in Slam years ago a head tax of a hundred are not permitted by the Govern- ticals was levelled per immigrant. ment to send money abroad for but after the fall of Canton, when anti-Japanese Slam expected many" Cantonese Government investigators found purposes. Siamese refugees, the head tax was raised lists of Chinese War Fund subser to two hundred ticals per person, bers in the Bank of Canton and with an extra fifteen tical the Chinese Overseas Bank, entrance charge.

was then

Years back, Siam's ablest king,ed up and asked, "Why did you Each of the subscribers was call- King Chulalongkorn, whose reign send money to China?" If the lasted for over forty years 1888 answer was "to fight Japan" of 1912), realized the importance of some similar patriotic utterance, the Chinese minorities LA an the person element in the Siamese popula- charged with breaking the Stam- arrested, tion, Chinese merchants have ese neutrality law, and then de been empoverishing Slam by ported to China sending back to China their business profits. Therefore King' Chulalongkorn decided either to drive the Chinese out, or to force them to become naturalized sub- jects of Blam

SIAMESE SUBJECTS

GENERAL

Ignace Jan Paderewski, internationally known pianist" and states-... man, photographed in Paris as he broadcast an impassioned ap- peal to the world on behalf of his oppressed country, Poland, whose old, government has taken root again on French soil.

Control Of

Economics As Malayan Career

Stressing the value of economics studied in school or college as ar ald to various careers, Dr. H. T. Bilcock, Professor of Economics at Raffles College, gave an interesting lecture to the members of the Teachers' Association in Rames' Institution, singapore.

Dr. Bilcock spoke on the future

of a graduate in economics from Ramles College and said that the employment of graduates as man- agers and secretaries of Åslatle Banks and businesses or as administrative assistants European banks and businesses and executive" onces of Govern- ment, in the departments most concerned with economic life, would be following successful Euro- pean precedents.""

LOW INITIAL SALARIES

Continuing, Dr. Silcock said that The believed that at present graduates are "not Diered sufficiently' attactive prospects in later years of employment and that they are not willing to accept sufficiently low initial salaries.

This, said the speaker, was the result of mistrust In both sides, missrust which has some justifica- tion. This mistrust would not dis- Lappear automatically, added the

Of Iron, Steel speaker

All iron and steel works, factories, or shors, or individuals in possession of iron and steel in any form are required. to regis ter with the Iron and Steel Control Committee. beginning

from March 1. according to regulations. *rently announced by committee.

The committee was Jointly organided

by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Ministry of War with Mr. J Ching-lu as its chairman. The function of the committee 1s to conserve raw material. to eliminate waste. and to adjust the supply and demand of iron and steel.

The registrants are required to fill out forms with all the neces- sury information about the amount of iron and steel in their possession, their uses. and the business conditions of their fac is charged. tories or shops. No registration fee Those who have concluded con- tracts for sales or

purchases the

time of registration are required to send such con- tracts together with their applica- consideration and approval tton papers to the committee for

Much depended on the graduates themselves, and unless high pro- fessional standards, both intel- lectual and moral, were, cultivated success in opening up this territory would never be attained.

AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS BRING GOOD RETURNS

$920,000 earmarked by the com- mission, the co-operating Institu- tions themselves spent an addi-

with tional $593.128.

NOT IN VAIN

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 1940. -PAGE 9

SANDEMAN

SHERRY & PORT Obtainable everywhere.

Chile

Collects Less In

'39 For Foreign Debts

SANTIAGO, CHILE-The total revenue collected for the foreign debt in 1939 was $9,456,203, as compared with $14,135,573 in 1933, which was the highest amount since resumption of the service, on a reduced scale, in 1935. The Amortisation Bank, which ls responsible for debt services, announced revenue details as fol- lows:

State proats

from nitrate Income taxes on

The foreign debt stands today ut $176,424,000, £27,763,571 108.994,000 swiss francs Now that

and

American bondholders have ac cepted the modified service, there $2,979,512 is virtually universal adherence,

and Chileans consider. It repre 6,348,008'sents the maximum of their debt servicing effort, to limit pay- .65.810 ments to the capacity of their principal export industries.

Periodical

interest, so that payment has been

In the fiscal year of 1939, the National Agricultural Pro- duction Promotion Commission spent a total of $920,000 for promoting products, developing agriculturel economy and bet- tering the general welfare of the peasantry. It is now able to report that the investment has brought an estimated $15,000,-

copper companies 000 cash return, besides other intangible benefits.

Duty on oil imported for the nitrate industry Headed by Wisconsin - Ilinois

Duty on oll imported for trained H. Y. Moh. the commis sion has for the past fear been

the copper industry... 62.872 As is customary, 50 per cent of from overseas against the clause criticism emanates various institutions in numerous co-operating relentlessly

the total, $9.458,203, goes toward in the law allocating half the re- All was not spent in vain, for made at the rate of $1,525 per ed that the Chilean Government agricultural projects and experi-

venue to redemption. It is alleg- ments. It granted subaldies, and it brought gave advice and recommendations pressed in terms of money. were £100 and 1,525 per 100 Swiss own default, by buying up the

benefits

which, ex- $100 (norninal), £1-10-54 per is thereby taking advantage of its to those who needed them. To many times more than the capital francs. With the remaining 50 per bonds at depreciated market rates. carry out projects, it helped or put in. For instance, by spending cent, bonds have been redeemed APPLY FOR PERMITS

ganize experimental stations and $48' 420 for the prevention and

to a nominal value of $5,882,000, the foreign debt has been reduced In five years' operation of the law, train skilled workers, After registration, those desit

cure of pests. the commission and

£120,560 and 228,000 Swiss francs. from approximately $450,000,000 to The actual cash return ing to buy or transport iron and $15,643,318 for 1939 was $6,000,000 cluding the Central Agricultural of its co-operating institutions, in-

leaving &

balance for similar steel shall be required to apply more than the estimate originally Experimental Station, saved crops

operations for the present year.

slightly more than $300,000,000. permits. In their application form The considerable increase is attri- the committee for the necessary made in June of the same year, worth $3,181,331.

Un the other hand, foreign bondholders should be relieved by they have to state in detail the buted to many reasons, including stock, would otherwise have died for the training of thousands of all its limitations, in face of the $200,770 worth ot The commission spent $77,300 the maintenance of the law, with purpose of their purchases and the bumper autumn harvest and transportation arrangements. If the general improvement made in for

of diseases II $9,300 was not used skilled workers, including promo- demand for suspension by sup the amount of Iron and steel the course of the year.

preventionI and treatment ters. leaders, technicians. It esporters of the Popular Front re- purposes. Other agricultural en- tablished 25 schools, 62 spinning gime. A campaign for another bought or transported is below one

The extension of rice cultiva-deavours benefitted by the work of and weaving training schools. 260 moratorium gathered force with son or its value is less than $500, tion In Hunan, for instance, was the commission included the ex- co-operative societies and span the economic effects of the earth- such permits shall not be needed.

Concerns engaged in the iron actually the yield reached

expected to bring 35,000 plculs, but tension of fertilize sericulture, ning works and published 340 quake and the war, but it has and steel industry after their first 72,000 plcul mark. Besides the raising and horticulture.

the reclamation of waste land, stock publications and 101 wall dia- since declined.-(Christian Science registration shall be required to

grams. (CI.C.)

Monitor). submit to the committee monthly reports giving all the details about

their reports any sales made with operation and production in their factories. They are to include in

committee. The permits for sales ur without permits issued by the

monthly reports or transportation should be sent to the committee. along with the

Any shipment of iron and steel materials from abroad or en IMPRISONED

China lacking the necessary per Both the managers of the Bank mits issted by the committee shall of Canton "and the Chinese, Over-be confiscated by Chinese customs seas Bank, were arrested, Impri-authorities.

GER STREET.

SHOE CO.LTD.

HONGKONG RUPPLIES ALL KINDS OF FOOTWEAR

soned for some time and then also The committee shall have agen- deported. It appeared that both cles in other parts of Free Chia A law was passed, making all being British subjects at the same

bankers were of dual nationality and whenever it deems necessary, children born in Siam automa- time. While in prison, the efforts different iron and steel factories It may station its members in the tically become Siamese subjects. of the British Minister to free to supervise

BEST CANDY STORE IN However, some rich Chinese them were of no avail, until they (C.I.C.)

their operations.-COLONY, WITH LARGE ASSORT- mothers would circumvent the were finally deported. ""As I was

MENT BRITISH-AMERICAN CAN- purpose of the law by going by returning to Hongkong on a boat. OVERSEAS CHINESE

DIES FRESH CONSIGNMENT railway to Penang or Singapore, there were fifty Chinese with me

NUTS, FIOS, RAISING FINE wherein to give birth to a child, being sent to Kwangchowwan" (A

CHOCO TES, BRITISH-AMERI- FOR CHUNGKING CAN CANDY STORE, 15, POTTIN- who would then be a British sub-

Chinese ject and thus acquire dual nation-

territory leased

CHUNGKING, Mar. 24 (Central) France). ality. But in the eyes of Siamese

-Chungking is making prepara law, could only have one nation books into Siam is forbidden. Ac- Chinese Comfort Delegation which The importation of anti-Japanese tions to welcome the Southseas ality, and thus the government cording to the university student, is scheduled to arrive in Chung- hoped that after a tions. all the Chinese in Slam Over China," is not allowed entry next month. (

few genera- Edgar Snow's book, Red Star king en route to the front early would inevitably become. Siamese. An educational law was made

Into the country.

A rousing welcome will also be with special regard for the Chin- At present the Chinese Govern- extended to Mr. Tan Kah-kee, ése:-Any child in Siam

ment is powerless in regard to the well-known. Chinese industrialist the age of thirteen must attend anti-Chinese movement in Slam, in Singapore, who will

primary

under

Sugarcane Cure For Tuberculosis

A type of sugar-can, which will leave be a care for tuberculosis is being school. In Blam

as China has no diplomatic repre- Rangoon by plane for Chung. most Chinese

or consuls there to king on March 26.

grown experimentally children go to their own Chinese sentatives

by an He will be amateur gardener in Bhopal. and middle schools, protect her

nationals rights. accompanied by Messrs, Chwang where they were taught every There is, however, only one repre-Hsi-yen, Wang Chen-halang, Chan

The peculiarity of this sugar- thing in their native tongue. sentative of Chinese Chamber of Taing-hu and Li Tel-min over bodies of cobras.

cape "Is It is manured by dead Furthermore the Blamese Gov-Commerce, but he has no diploma- seas Chinese leaders. ernment promulgated, another re-tic rights and is powerless to inter- gulation, making the study of fere. Now many Chinese refugees a black future facing the Chinese by the late Hakin Ajmal Khan the Siamese language compulsory are fleeing from Slam to Yunnan minorities in Slam are fading and the present experimenterin in all Chinese Institutions.

Bome Chinese merchants have with the recent report that a Bhopal obtained a few of these However, the process of "Blami- closed down their stores, while Siamese mission has been sent to plants from a sugar-cane cultivator fication" of Chinese youth became others do not have the chance to Chungking to talk over the mutual in Meerut, who had been grow still more pronounced, From 1939, expand. However, the prospects of Interests of the two countries.

ing this type of cane.

The use of this cane, it is gather-

Similarly,

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