bave
NA
Gw/20082
31661
hot read.
99
Colony or in any way (e.g. by the payment of blackmail in the
guise of strike pay, by the reinstatement of strikers, or the
payment of compensation for loss) which would enable the
Government of Canton, the Strike Committee, or the Red
Russians, to proclaim the settlement as a success.
Moreover
such an ending would constitute a direct incitement to the
renewal of anti-British agitation at Shanghai and in other
places.
Canton grievances.
In a communique to the Press (copy sent
home with my secret despatch of the 28th of January) the
(?) Commissary of Foreign Affairs has recently declared that
the strike was begun by workers inthe Colony primarily as a
protest against the British Government for the shooting which
occurred on the 23rd of June at Canton, and not for economic
reasons.
Neither the strike nor the boycott which has followed
it have been caused by any actions or neglect by the Colonial
Government or the inhabitants of the Colony. Hongkong is in
advance of China in legislation for the benefit of labourers.
Economically workmen in the Colony are better off than in
China.
It is decidedly my intention to exert my personal
influence to induce the Government of Canton to turn for help
to Britain rather than to Russia. In this connection I
would refer you to my despatch of the 24th of December (secret)
my despatch paragraph 3 of 8th January (secret) paragraph 2, and my
despatch of 20th January (secret) paragraph 10. We are however
decidedly against an annual payment to Canton from Boxer funds.
In the allocation of Boxer funds in our opinion no regard
should be had to the Canton situation, and Kuang Tung should
not receive any payment while the boycott lasts.
Delegations should not, in our opinion, proceed
to
7