CO129-488 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1925 [1-7] — Page 483

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would be such that, in the event of a victory over the

Yunnanese, the Red Element in the Cantonese Army might become

the master instead of the servant of the Canton Goverment,

but they appeared to be satisfied that such would not be

the case.

The event has proved otherwise, and for the time

being at any rate Communist counsels prevail.

3. The strike which has been organized in

Hongkong is entirely due to these Commist agitators in Canton. They have of course taken the Shanghai incident as their pretext, but they have found the Cantonese for the most part entirely apathetic on this question, and they have accordingly had recourse to the tactics of terrorism which proved so successful in the Seamen's strike in 1922.

The Chinese have been and still are most reluctant to go, but an anonymous letter or a whispered remark by an unknown passerby puts them into a state of such abject fear, that they simply dare not carry on their work. There is in the case of many of them the added threat of reprisals against their families in the country, which the Communists would be quite capable of putting into effect. A large number of

workers are still standing fast, notably the members of the

Chinese Engineers and Mechanics Union, which is the most important of all the Unions. It is reported that at a recent meeting the head of this Union stated that the

matter at issue was a political one and, as such, did not

concern labour in the Colony, and in any event the question

could not be decided by the Hongkong Government.

There is at present no sign of any anti- foreign feeling. The Colony was at first flooded with pamphlets from outside, but the effect of these was to

frighten the people rather than to infleme their passions.

Chinese employed by foreigners have for the most part given due notice that they are being compelled to leave through

circumstances