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in central and northern China the position in
Kuang-tung has not yet improved owing to Bolshevik
influence over the Canton Government. In central and
northern China the policy of conciliation was
fruitful owing to the suppression of the extremist
elements there by the Chinese local authorities.
In Kuang-tung on the contrary the extremists actually
form the Government.
18.
The 13th February is Chinese New
Year's Day; and if, after it has passed, the Canton Government still persists in refusing to negotiate
with the Hongkong Government, and if the action
suggested under article 7 of the Washington Nine
Power Treaty proves ineffectual, then it will be
necessary to consider very carefully whether the
risks we run in allowing the anti-British boycott to continue inuang-tung are not greater than the risk of independent warlike action in Kuang-tung for the purpose of ending the boycott. Already the Chinese in this Colony are getting restive at the long continued inaction of the British Government, They freely ask each other the question, and they even ask of me, why does Great Britain tolerate the
upon insults and illegalities inflicted British subjecta by strike pickets in Kuang-tung. We are daily losing prestige, while the Bolsheviks are to all outward
appearance as strong as ever in this province. Heavy losses are king inflicted upon both the British and the Chinese merchants of Hongkong. The trouble is festering and threatens to become chronic. Plainly it cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.
We hope, therefore, that in any statement on the
political situation in Kuang-tung made by HM's
Government