No.78. Secret.
(& 3 copies).
Copy to H. M. Consul-General at Shanghai.
Acting Consul-General at Canton to H.M. Minister.
CANTON,
632
sir,
1st October, 1919.
With reference to the Straits Settlements Secret
Abstract of Intelligence, Series of August 1919, Note No.
256 (page 34), I have the honour to report that the
Secretary to the Coadssioner of Police at Canton informs
ine that the police have at present no knowledge at the
existence here of any of the societies specified. No.30,
Nam Chiu Street (
) is a lodging-house occupied
by certain students engaged in learning wireless
telegraphy at the Canton Wireless Telegraph Station. It
is immediately opposite the Police Headquarters, and is
being kept under observation.
The enclosed extract from yesterday's issue of the
*72 Hong Merchants "Newspaper",one of the leading
Chinese newspapers at this port, shews that use is being
made by certain Chinese of the Japanese boycott movement
to formulate demands for improved conditions of labour,
and to organise a "labour party" ( ) to enforce these
demands by joint action. Whether this development is
merely the spontaneous awakening among the working
classes of a sense of their hardships, or something alien
to the Chinese temperament implanted, for ulterior
motives, by persons educated abroad, is perhaps open to question; but it seems to lend colour to the statement
in Note No. 256, under the heading of "The New Society of
Cant on that there is some organisation which is
The Right Honourable
Sir J. Jordan, G. C. I. E.,K.C.B.,K.C.M.G.,
etc.,
etc.
etc.
PEKING.
prepared/