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4962/1926.
1.0.1/3.
kett 2/3.
lis 2/3.
Grindle 3.
Wilson
H.M.
روا
Paraphrase telegram from the Secretary of State for the
Colonies to the Governor of Hong Kong.
(Sent 4.5.p.m. 4th March, 1926.)
582
Your telegrams of the 26th January and the 6th February have
been carefully considered by H.M.G. who have reached the
following conclusions.
(1) Question of actual hostilities with Canton has not
yet arisen. It is highly problematical whether on balance 3.3.26.British interests would profit from hostilities and in the
circumstances and in view of attitude of other Powers it is
clearly desirable that the question should not arise.
3.
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draft
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Sir C.
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(2) Pressure on Moscow. I am sending you a despatch dealing generally with the policy of H.M.G. towards the Bolsheviks, see your secret telegram of the 13th January. Here I need only say that the general policy is to leave them
alone and let them discredit themselves. Our view is that use of force would tend to prolong their influence and would merely aggravate position and that the right course is to content ourselves with showing them up in their true
colours whenever possible.
(3) League of Nations. It could hardly be expected that League would unanimously condemn the Canton Government with- out giving the latter a chance to be heard, and they would no doubt jump at the chance of entering into a public discussion
about their grievances before representatives of all the nations of the world. Moreover such discussion could hardly be confined to Canton question, the introduction of extraneous Chinese matters would be almost a certainty and the situation would not be likely to be eased by the resulting publicity. It would in any case seem a hazardous course to bring so involved a question before an Assembly which is unfamiliar
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with