PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
|ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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2. The evidence as to the probable future course of events is very conflicting, and there are indications that the members of the Canton Government are not in agreement as to the policy to be adopted. It seems certain that, even if the Canton Govern- ment genuinely wishes to have done with the boycott organisa tion, it is not finding the task of calling off the boycott and dis
I enclose posing of the strikers and their leaders an easy one.
a copy of a memorandum* which Mr. Brenan has sent me giving an account of an interview with Mr. Eugene Ch'en, who protests the sincerity of the Canton Government and draws attention to its difficulties and the probability of " further regrettable incidents in spite of its endeavours.
"
3. I have already referred in my despatch No. 404 of the 24th September to the attitude of Mr. Sun Fo, and Colonel F. Hayley-Bell has sent me the enclosed further reports as to Mr. Sun's interpretation of the apparent change of policy. Mr. Sun Fo is a shifty individual, probably without much influence in the Government except in so far as his father's name makes him useful for propaganda purposes, but utterances of this nature show that there must be considerable support for his attitude of hostility as he is not the type of man whose principles would lead him to adopt a policy not likely to be popular.
4. The enclosed extract from the Kung Sheung Yat Pot of the 27th September purports to give the views of Mr. Ku Mang-yü, Director of the Propaganda in the Canton Government and one of the Cantonese delegates at the recent boycott conference. only a tem. He appears to regard the promised settlement as porary measure.'
5. I enclose also a copy, received to-day from Reuter's corres- pondent, of the text of a communication addressed by Mr. Eugene Ch'ên to the Consular Representatives in Canton con- cerning the imposition of a temporary internal tax."
6. Monsieur de la Prade, the French Consul in Hongkong, recently called upon me in order to communicate a message from Monsieur d'Anjou, the French Consul at Canton, to the effect that, in the latter's opinion, the boycott would not really end on the 10th October.
7. Colonel F. Hayley-Bell, in a report from Canton dated the 5th October, writes: It is rumoured that the Government is going to remove Mr. Eugene Ch'en from the Foreign Office and that the strike will continue as before."
8. A report from H.M.S. Foxglove, dated the 1st October. states that, at Swatow, strike pickets are still operating on shore and along the water front and that the boycott of British goods is thus maintained. I attach a cutting¶ from to-day's issue of the South China Morning Post, which gives an account of the situa- tion at Swatow on the 27th September.
• Enclosure 1. † C.20103 26; not printed. Enclosure 2.
Enclosure 4. ¶ Not reprinted.
* Enclosure 3.
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9. As regards the frontier of the New Territories of this L'olony, strike pickets remain at Sham chun and are functioning at Lo-wu, and they returned on 5th October to Lok-ma-chau. between Sham chun and Deep Bay, where they were then search- ing people. Next day, however, they were no longer seen at Lok-ma-chau. I enclose a copy of a police report* of to-day's date.
10. The strike pickets reported to have been withdrawn from the Macao frontier were reported to have resumed work there again on the 6th October.
11. I will telegraph a further report on the position as soon
as possible after the 10th October.
I have, &c.,
C. CLEMENTI,
ENCLOSURE 1 IN No. 35.
Governor, &c.
MEMORANDUM OF AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. EUGENE CH'Ex.
This morning (4th October) I called on the Acting Minister
for Foreign Affairs in connection with the threatened interference with a Consulate boatman by Swatow strike pickets.
Mr. Eugene Ch'ên undertook to telegraph suitable instructions to the Swatow authorities immediately and added that he would get the Strike Committee to telegraph to Swatow also.
Mr. Ch'en then went on to speak of the boycott, which he said would be called off at a monster demonstration at the East Parade Ground at mid-day on 10th October. He had hoped for an carlier date but had met with many difficulties. He was rather opposed to any written proclamation calling off the boycott, as he felt that this savoured too much of the "tremble and obey days, but the announcement would be made in such a manner as to leave no doubt in the mind of anyone. Speeches of an "ultra- patriotic nature would be made at the demonstration, but he trusted that we would realise that excitable people had to let off steam, and not take empty remarks too seriously. The Canton Government recognised the impossibility of calculating strike at different for non-reinstatement compensation pay and rates, and had decided to adopt a flat rate and pay off so many strikers a month; it was still under discussion which classes were to be paid off first. Mr. Ch'en appealed for patience on our part and an appreciation of their difficulties; as was only to be ex- pected, many bad characters had been attracted to the picket organisation, and it was more than likely that occasional regrettable incidents would occur after the calling off of the *Not printed.
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