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the field. However, before long, Communist leaders began
to make terms with the Northern Militarist, using the name
of the Central Executive Department of the Kuomintang and
openly announced the deprivation of Chang Kai Shek of all
his power.
So dangerous had the Red influence become
that it was no longer possible to withhold action against
them, and on April 15th the order came to clean the country
up of the Communist element. Canton is now practically
wiped of such influence, and in doing its work it became necessary for the Government to execute several of the more outspoken agitators. The East River region has also
been thoroughly cleared, but in the North River an army
ten thousand strong was placed on the field to attack the
Reds who had mobilised a force of three thousand men.
The campaign against the rebels in this area has not secured
its ultimate object so far, and everything possible is
being done to take every Communistic influence framSouth China.
Before closing, Mr. Lien Lai invited questions
of those present.
Asked by Mr. Hall, the British Vice Consul, who
had organised the shooting at Nanking, Mr. Lien Lai
replied that he had not received a definite report regarding
the matter.
To another question regarding General Lai Chai- sum, Mr. Lien said that while it is commonly reported that Chang Kai Shek is not on friendly terms with General Lai,
it was false. This rumour has been spread by Red propagan-
dists. He added that the Government was opposed, not to Communism as a principle, nor to Soviet Russia as a nation,
but to such agitators who preach against the Kuomintang.
Is the Nationalist Government and the people
in Canton to-day anti-British? "We are opposed to any form of Imperialism, "said Mr. Lien, "but not particularly
against