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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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45. At the time when the Bureau was created, doubt was expressed in some quarters as to the wisdom of the step, on account of the supposed antecedents of some of the General's men; but the Government very wisely reposed full confidence in 'the General. It must be obvious that the men who are to intimidate the intimidators" must be of a bold type-a quality Such which was so very rare among the Chinese at that time. men, in the present state of China, are likely to have had a some- what adventurous existence, but this is no necessary disqualifica- tion for our purpose. Though it is necessary that our agents for this dangerous work should act for us in a clean way, they should not be required to furnish proof of having worn kid gloves from their youth up.

46. We realised from the first that there must be an air of mystery about the organisation if it was to succeed; and this atmosphere has to some extent been maintained up to this moment. The public does not know exactly how the Bureau is maintained: and the bad characters do not know how many men the Bureau has, and consequently they see spies everywhere. Intimidation ceased within a week, and although it again broke out from time to time, once with bomb-throwing, it was soon put down on each occasion by the Bureau with the co-operation of the police. The Chinese, so easily terrified, have proved equally easy to reassure. The lesson is that they must not be left without support in the face of an unknown terror.

47. Besides putting down intimidation, the objects of the Bureau were to protect labourers in their employment, and to find men to fill the places of strikers. It undoubtedly succeeded in instilling courage into waverers at the time, and also in supply ing labour to people requiring it. It has registered and passed into employment about 2,000 men, and these men, I understand, have proved to be quite satisfactory.

48. As the object of the Bureau is, in effect, to enable the workmen to secure a sort of re-insurance against the tyranny of their guild-leaders without abandoning their own guild organisa- tion, the men on being registered for employment sign a form in which are given the name, age, place of birth, occupation, address of the person registered, and objects of the Bureau, which are (1) to assist members in earning an honest livelihood; and (2) to protect them in the pursuit of their living.

49. In another and indirect way the Bureau has proved its usefulness. The work of the Bureau, as that of the Police Reserve, has certainly stimulated the Chinese regular police and the district watchmen to greater activity than they showed at first. In other words, the regular police and watchmen were shamed into greater efforts by the example of these "ex-pirates."

"Kai-Ching

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or Street Committees and Street Guards.

50. One very efficacious device which was adopted among the Chinese was the formation of Street Committees and Street Guards to assist the police, particularly by giving them informa- The tion of the arrival of strange or undesirable people. inhabitants of each street, or each suitable section formed of

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Kai-

several short streets, elect their Committee, called the Ching,' which appoints guards from the inhabitants of the streets to patrol their area, and watch against the danger of arson. During the worst days of the strike each member of the guard did from two to three hours duty according to the numbers enrolled; and a very valuable public spirit was shown by the and guards. As an example of this, I instance Kai-Chings Mr. Li Yau-tsun, the Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, who, although 64 years of age and not over robust, took his turn as a patrol, in addition to something like ten hours of other public duties daily. This went on without our know- ledge for some time until it was accidentally discovered, and then stopped by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs who, in an appre- conserve his strength for more ciative letter, asked him to

important duties.

The

51. These organisations should become permanent. street appears to be the natural unit within which the Chinese feel a common bond of interest; and therefore most valuable Kai-Ching " in connection with work could be done by the

It would, in addition, sanitary measures and even the census. provide a standing organisation for the development of an emergency police force in the event of further troubles.

Trade Maintenance Bureau.

52. Mr. Ho Kwong having practically completed his work as one of the Assistant Food Controllers, undertook in mid-July the formation of a Trade Maintenance Bureau, with the object of facilitating the issue of export permits, and the working of cargo. At first outside coolies, under the protection of members of the displaced, Labour Protection Bureau, were employed; but the regular cargo- coolies, seeing a prospect of being permanently resumed work shortly afterwards. A threat to deport all striking tallymen brought them back also. The Trade Maintenance Bureau did very useful work until the end of August, when it became unnecessary.

Counter Propaganda.

53. In paragraphs 7 and 8 I have touched upon the extensive system of enemy propaganda and its success. In the past we had On the outbreak of the been sadly deficient in this respect.

strike the Chinese newspapers, if not actually against us, were at least afraid to publish what we wanted. The newspaper com- Wah positors were among the strikers, and the only Chinese newspaper which continued publication during the strike was the

"

Kiu Yat Po," which had to be hand-written and reproduced by lithograph for some days. But this journal was afraid to print certain propaganda for us even under police protection: at first the proprietor and the editor promised me to reproduce in the paper certain leaflets I handed to them, but when the compositors were given the copy they all left work secretly, and for two days the paper could not be brought out.

54. A few days after the commencement of the strike the Government, on my recommendation, established a bureau for