1938-04-25 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 25, 1938.

Pare 11

"BACKSTAIRS" CHINA DIPLOMACY ALLEGED

Mr. A. V. Alexander Voices Suspicions

CHINA COAST "Must Be No

OFFICERS' ULTIMATUM

The China Coast Officers' Guild at their meeting rester- day decided to send virtual ulti- matums to certain shipowners in the Colony giving them 48 hours in which to reply to a demand for defnite, increases in the 1919 Arbitrators' Award. scale.

Officers on river steamers operating from Hong Kong as well as "Outside" Coast Boats; have made representations to all the companies concerned, which do not include the Steamboat Co.

These companies have now, in most cases, offered a 15 per cent, temporary or conditional bonus which, in effect, would mean that while the present conditions on the China Coast are maintained and the huge profits now being made con- tinue, this bonus will be paid. The men fear that if trade, slackened, the bonus would instantly be discontinued and the old rates brought back in- to force.

OFFER DECLINED This offer has been declined as a bonus by the officers and will only be considered as a de- finite increase on the Hong Kong Arbitration Award Scale of 1919.

this It is emphasised that scale has been in force for over 19 years and with the exception of the Hong Kong, Canton and Macao S. B: Co., no increase has been offered by the companies.

The China Coast Officers' Guild has now written giving 48 hours in which to reply to the following demand:--

"That the amount of 15 per cent. offered can only be considered as a permanent in- crease in salary to be incor- porated into the SHIPS' AR- TICLES OF AGREEMENT. It is understood that failing a satisfactory reply within the stipulated period, "stronger measures will be taken.”

“OUTSIDE”“ SHIPS In the case of "Outside" Coast Steamers, which include companies such as Williamson's, Wo Fat Shing and Peter's, offers have been received in one case of a further 74 per cent. bonns on wages and in another. of a further 7% per cent, bonus to captains and chief engineers and 10 per cent to other ranks. The officers do-not-want these new bonuses but ask for an in- creased scale of pay to

re- place the Hong Kong Arbitra- tion and Awards Scales of 1919; increases to provide for the fol- lowing salaries:-

Masters $750 per month. Chief Engineers $700 per month.

Grief Officers and 2nd. En- gineers $550 per month.

Recognition

DR. SCHMIDT EMERGES OUT OF

Of Manchukuo" "DISGRACE"

London, To-day,

Moscow, To-day. Professor Otto Schmidt, beard-

The suggestion, that "backstairs diplomacy" is goed hero of a number of Arctic ing on in Britain over China, was made by the expeditions, who was recently re- Labour M.P., Mr. A. V. Alexander, presiding at ported to be in "disgrace," was a rally at Queen's Hall yesterday to "celebrate present at a meeting of the Se- viet Academy of Sciences here at the Chinese victories and to call for intensifica-the week-end, and made a short tion of the boycott of Japanese goods."

Mr. Alexander said they must watch very carefully

speech.

Three out of the four scientists

any proposal to make any Imperialist appeal who spent nine months on on the lines of the Rome Pact

“I HAVE REASON TO KNOW THAT A REPRESENTATIVE OF

ing ice floe, reported to ing on the work they

Shirshov related the

interesting

THE JAPANESE HAS APPROACHED CONTENUOUSLY results of depth soundings in the INFLUENTIAL BRITISH CIRCLES IN THE LAST FEW central Polar Basin, and showed MONTHS, WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT WE COULD samples of ground taken from a WORK TOGETHER WITH THE JAPANESE FOR THE FU-depth of two and a half miles. TURE ENRICHMENT OF BOTH NATIONS BY THE ECO- NOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA, IF ONLY WE WOULD LOOK IN THE JAPANESE DIRECTION.

“There must be no recognition of Manchukuo in return for any offer

to share in the economic development of China.”

A cable from General

Chiang

clared the war would be of long duration.

MORE TOKYO

Kai-shek read at the meeting, de- RESTRICTIONS CHINA'S DESTINY ON METALS

"China

3

must be victorious or

destroyed. If the latter, then the destruction will in time come to the other democracies.

Tokyo, To-day. In order to conserve pig-iron,

The Academy decided to institute

a prize to commemorate the exploit of the ice foe scientists.

It will be awarded every three years for the best scientific achieve- ment in the Arctic-regions-Ren-

ter.

ing new regulations restricting use of the metal for manufacture of cast-iron articles."

The new rules are applicable from May 15,

Makers of iron braziers, ash The great expenditure of arma which is essential for war mater ments to which Britain is commit-ial, the Ministry of Commerce trays and iron poles will be ted, could well be reduced and Industry is to-day announc- among those affected. Reuter. practical assistance is now accord-

ed to China to defeat the aggres- sor."

Reuter.

NEW LOAN BY

The

CHINA

quickest way to get the best whisky

to

Hankow, To-day. Particulars of the new loan which the Chinese Government plans issue shortly have just been made known.

Qn May 1, the Finance Ministry will issue a loan in two sections. The first will be for $500,000,000, | bearing interest at 6 percent, -me- payable in 30 years. The second section of the loan will be sub- divided into $50,000,000" (US. Car- rency) and £10,000,000 Sterling respectively and will bear interest at the rate of 5 percent and be re- payable within 15 years.

The proceeds will be used for the purchase of arms and gnezyumā. tion.-Trans-Ocean:

2nd. officers and 3rd. En- gineers (certificated) $350 per month.-

It is emphasised that this scale is much below that of the China Navigation Company and the Indo-China Steam Naviga tion Company, who, in addi- tion, give their officers leave and a provident or pen- sions fund

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