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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

PLLC.O.882/11

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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where, as my previous despatches show, there is no lack of suitabl material. These events, and Mr. Lau's skilful use of them, conduce to the advantage of the Colony. Various trades and handicrafts now show a disposition to move away from the continuous storm of strikes and picketings, which besets Canton, to the quiet and order which British rule confers upon Hong Kong; and it is not unlikely that anger at this failure of their plots has led the Canton labour unions to lay plans for provoking a new outbreak in Hong Kong, as noted in para graph 4 of my secret despatch of the 4th February.* The temper of these agitators is indicated in the enclosed report,† obtained by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, of two meetings held at Canton. Too great importance is not to be attached to the attendance of delegates from Hong Kong unions. It is difficult for a Chinese union in this Colony to refuse an invitation to a conference of similar and larger unions at Canton. To do so would make its office-bearers targets " and might for violent abuse as "tame dogs of Imperialist oppression even imperil their lives. The labour situation in the Colony is, how- ever, being carefully watched and all preparations have been made to put in force at a moment's notice, if necessary, the Organization for Maintenance of Services which dealt so effectively with the crisis in June, 1925. I hope that these proofs of preparedness, coupled with the increase in our military and naval forces, will inspire sufficient con fidence among the Chinese here resident to obviate another general strike.

I have, etc..

C.30001/27 [No. 40].

No. 5.

C. CLEMENTI.

Governor, dv.

The Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the

(Secret.)

SIR,

Colonies.

(Received 30th March, 1927.)

Government House, Hong Kong, 25th February, 1927.

I have the honour to confirm my telegram of the 23rd February† on the local situation. The forecast contained in the first paragraph of my secret despatch of the 12th February‡ as to the issue of the struggle between merchant and labour in Canton appears in process of realiza tion. It is true that the Canton police have forcibly removed pickets from some eight hundred shops, but the "Peasants' and Labourers' Bureau," which is charged with the task of mediating between employers and employees in this matter, has completely failed to achieve any amicable settlement, all conferences being rendered abortive by the communistic abuse showered on the employers by the workmen's representatives. It is abundantly clear that the latter will not rest

‡ No. 3.

• No. 2.

† Not printed,

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until the obnoxious order is withdrawn and until the merchants now resisting them are reduced to the same level of impotence as those who were excluded from the operation of the order because they had already capitulated to labour and entered into arrangements to accept its dictation. The very name of the Bureau in question is significant. It bears, as do all the activities and institutions of the Kuomintang, the plain stamp of Russian Bolshevism-of the theory that the manual labourer must be lord of the earth and that all other elements of the social structure must be subservient to his sovereign will.

2. It is commonly said that China will never adopt Bolshevism as a sucial theory, that the history and mentality of the Chinese race makes such a bouleversement impossible. And in the comfort of this dictum Europe and America, and possibly Japan, close their eyes to the plain fact that China is already bolshevized to an appalling degree and that the poison is spreading rapidly with the successes of the Nationalist party. It may be that the masses of China have enjoyed, even under the most savage dynasties, a degree of self determination wholly unknown to the French proletariat of the 18th Century and that they have, therefore, not the same incentive to accomplish the annihilation of the existing social order. But if the feudal oppression is less, the a colossal scale is far economic pressure due to over-breeding on greater; and it is that pressure, organized by Russia, which is to-day threatening not only the peace of the world but the existence of civilized society. The attack is at the moment concentrated against Britain, because she is the best example in China of the rival or "Capitalist "social theory, as well as because her colonizing genius has placed her in dominion over masses of less-advanced humanity, Bolshevism is which makes the best fuel for Bolshevist flames. essentially a militant creed. World revolution alone will satisfy its ambitions; and no treaties, undertakings or other scruples will stay its hand for an instant. Great Britain is singled out for attack first as the greatest enemy. The turn of the other nations will come there- after. This is the lesson to be learned very easily in China to-day.

3. The rally of communist forces in Canton, reported in my telegram of the 23rd February, is aptly hinged upon the visit to that city of the delegation of the Third International including Mr. Tom Mann. This delegation was received by the Provincial Government and Kuomintang headed by General Li Chai-sum, the author of the action for the suppression of picketing mentioned in the first paragraph of this despatch, and the usual anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist slogans were acclaimed. To-day a public demonstration of welcome is to be held, for which all newspapers, schools, shops and factories are expected to give a holiday. There has, moreover, been a fresh armed clash involving the use of machine guns and bombs between the Railway- men's Union which flies the "Hammer and Sickle" flag and the These Mechanics' Union-a comparatively moderate organisation. events fit in exactly with the "Lenin" posters and the activities of the Peasants' Army at Sha t'an kok (see my secret despatches of the 12th and 17th February†). While comrade Eugene Ch'ên poses as the mouthpiece of a sane, enlightened and powerful party and talks of treaty revision and reform, his Russian friends are working steadily

• Not printed.

† Nos. 3 and 4.