CO129-490 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 139

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YAI

the 10th August.

13.

in China

Aa Daniyty

ر

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137

Thile it is unwise and impossible to forecast events

my impression is that the strike of workers and coolies

is on its last legs due to poverty and hardship brought upon them by the failure of the various Unions to pay the promised strike

pay. Many of them are realising that they have only been the

dupes of the Student Unions who under the guise of patriotis are

merely exploiting the poorer classes for their own ends.

14. During the last two days, coolies deprived of their

strike pay, have made attacks on the Labour Union offices and the

Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Two ships of the San Feh Steamship Company which is omed by Yu Ya Ching, the Chairman of the Chinese

Chamber of Commerce, have been boarded by coolies who obtained all

the food they could, and in the case of one ship, threw some of the

cargo overboard. The Police have dealt with all of these

disturbances.

It is reported that as the result of these

attacks, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce have been compelled to

pay out $100,000 out of their own pockets to the coolies on strike.

15. A pleasant feature is the harmonious relations of the

International Admirals. The action of the Italian Admiral

(Rear-Admiral Ugo Cons) is maintaining such a force on shore as is

considered desirable is indicative of a strong spirit of co- operation, as the Italian Commercial interests in Shanghai are

very small.

W.L.Anderson.

Fear-Admiral,