1938-02-16 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 16, 1938.

BRITAIN, FRANCE AND U.S. TO SUPPORT SHANGHAI COUNCIL Lord Plymouth's Statement During Lords' Debate

VISCOUNT ELIBANK'S

STRICTURES ON JAPAN

been cleared up.

The position was

undoubtedly very difficult and anxious but 80 far the integrity of the Customs ad- ministration had been maintained. Recent Japanese statements in and Shanghai that they would not res- and were insisting pect foreign obligations secured on that British merchantmen be al- the Customs, were very disturbing. lowed to resume full trading rights as soon as the situation permits.

S.M.C. SUPPORTED

MENACE TO CUSTOMS the question

INTEGRITY

London, To-day.

very closely,

very carefully

As regards the International Set- the British,

The Japanese have no right what- stever to disregard the interests of foreign countries in these revenues. On the motion of Lord Elibank, former President tlement municipality,

CENSORSHIP Lord Plymouth denied that cen- of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of French and American authorities sorship of foreign. telegrams had the Empire, the House of Lords yesterday in opposing Japanese attempts to press censorship.

had agreed to support the Council actually begun, though there was a staged the first parliamentary debate devoted interfere with its functions or al- The Government had been in con- exclusively to the China war.

ter the character of the adminis-stant consultation with the United tration. Lord Elibank drew attention to the magnitude of There was some force in the Ja-jects discussed in the debate.

States on the great majority of sub- British trade investments which precluded our panese contentions, and there was taking a passive attitude in the Far East. He their representation on the admin-

a large measure of agreement that pendently but almost invariably on Action was usually taken inde- did not wish to be provocative to Japan or to istration is hardly commensurate

parallel lines. China.

with their numbers and interests. He commented on the Japanese problem of over-ation, but the Japanese claim

That matter was under consider population and lack of raw materials while the increased representation on

for the

outlet of emigration beyond the China seas was matter."

Council itself "is quite a different

closed.

Lord Elibank, however, sym- Lord Elibank asked what steps pathised with Japan on the ques-the Government was taking tion of the Soviet which was secure British interests to prevent trying to împress Communism an act of aggression which, if car- on China.

BURDENSOME RESTRICTIONS

The Council is an international

some.

BOYCOTT OF JAPAN Lord Strabolgi (Opposition Lab- our) said that the Labour Party suggested that Government should take action even if others were not prepared to do so in discouraging the sending of munitions to Japan.

The Party also asked the Gov-

were

On the other hand, China's population problem was body not under the control of any ernment to discourage any attempt

just as acute as Japan's, and it was not surpris-particular government.

to give financial assistance to Japan. ing that she would resist when the Japanese The restrictions under which

The Party advocated individual forcibly deprived her of land and laid her land re-opened are extremely

some areas in Shanghai are being boycott of everything Japanese. He burden- hoped this would spread throughout waste.

all countries. He believed that în The Government was doing its regard to China, public opinion in utmost to have them removed to

as Britain was well ahead of the Goy- early as possible.

ernment. Dealing with administration. of Public opinion to-day was repre- the Customs, Lord Plymouth said sented by the dockers who that the Government was working refusing to handle Japanese goods, out anxiety.

ETHICS OF WAR

in very close consultation with

MATTER DROPPED Japanese ambition directed at Lord Elibank demanded that France and the United States. Chinese trade in such a way to Japanese

Lord Elibank, speaking a second troops occupying the DIFFICULT AND ANXIOUS time, said that he was squeeze out all other compětí-northern and eastern parts of the

sure the tion, was exampled in Manchu-Settlement be substituted by muni-made from the Yokohama Specie to a certain extent, the feelings of had yet been Government statement would allay, kuo and in the recent discrimina-cipal police, and protested against Bank to Shanghai to meet services those who were anxious about mat- tory import duties and the de-the Japanese censorship. cisions of the "government” in

on loans and he understood that norters in China. Urging Anglo-American. co- remittance was likely to be made The matter was then dropped. Peiping.

operation, Lord Elibank accused until the position at Shanghai had Reuter. Japan of disregarding the ethics

Japan cannot look on this with-in Britain would never be forgiven

REPREHENSIBLE

her.

Moreover, Japan's actions in and of war and laying waste behind around Shanghai were most repre- hensible and, like the sands of the seashore, were likely to leave a gritty taste in the mouth.

He cited figures showing how trade was affected by the war.

Japan was raising" against her Shanghai was the centre of many public opinion in almost every na- thousands of millions sterling in tion, "Even Italy and Germany various parts of China.

cannot, in their hearts, agree with Britain's share was over $150,-the way in which the war is being 000,000.

carried on.”

If the recent Japanese demands She would make it extraordinarily were granted, Japan would acquire difficult to raise finance abroad complete control of the Inter- when her resources were exhaust- national Settlement and Its Inter-ed. national power would be destroyed.

GOVERNMENT VIEW Any power controlling Shanghai Lord Flymouth, Under-Secre- was able to injure the interests of tary for Foreign Affairs, other nations right into the centre replying for the Government, of China, while control of the Cus-said it was always one of the toms there would imply control of Government's main duties to pro- every other Customs station in the tect British interests in China. Yangtse Valley.

Usually, action was taken in CUSTOMS GUARANTEES [consultation with înterésted Lord Elibank declared that re-foreign governments, especially venue in Tientsin and Tsingtao France and the United States.“ had been placed in the Yokohama Efforts to arrangé. safety zones Specie Bank. He asked what guar with the Japanese had only par antee there was that the Japanese tially succeeded, though undoubt would not do the same

with the edly something had been achieved. Customs revenue in Shanghai, and

PROTECTION ultimately appropriate them for their own purposes.

British ships-on the Yangtse and at Canton had rendered invaluable He recalled that General Matsui assistance in protection of commu- (Japanese commander-in-chief at nities in the interior d of China. Shanghai) had been reported as As regards trade, Lord Plymouth stating that he was getting tired said that hostilities had almost of long discussions and might be completely stopped shipping on the compelled to take over the Cus-Yangtse.

toms.

The Government was watching

No remittances

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