CO129-498-5 Canton boycott- report on visit to Canton of representatives of the Hong Kong Chinese merchants... 6-1-1926 - 6-1-1926 — Page 36

13.

1st January, 1926.

Last ovoning wo roccived an invitation to dinner fr.:

the Strikors Union for 4 o'clock today which wo attended.

There woro about 40 of the strikers and the scvon of us

Mr. So Siu Ching taking the chair.

The Chairman began by a short spooch of welcome nd oxprossed the hope that our dologation would ho something to spork to thom by way of reply utc.

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Mr. Li You Chuon roplicd shortly to the offcct that

as roprosentativos of Chinoso merchants in Hongkong wo

woro ondoavouring to roach a settlement of the strike, and, as proviously arranged, I spoke shortly, emphasising that

the actions of the labourers in ondoavouring to improvo

their status dosorvod ovo.y sympathy and referring to

the fact that I had taken part in the mattor of the

Pork and Race Course questions. I hoped that by closo cooporation botwoon employers and workers, 11 misundor-

standing would be rendered impossiblo.

Mr. Tang Chung-hi ( Chairman of the Affiliatod

Labourers' Union of China) who spoko in a Northern dialect

and whose spooch was interpreted by Mr. So Siu Ching spoke

at great longth as to tho origin of the strike. Vory

shortly summarisod the offoct is as follows:-

China and Chinoso had always boon trampled upon by

tho Europoons, and thon the Chinese were murdorod in

Shanghai and alsowhoro, labourers ina body bogen to

strike out of purely patriotic motives, since China

was not strong enough to doclare war. Thon the

Shamcon murders. The strike was not directed against

the Chinoso in Hongkong, but because Hongkong, liko

Shamoon and Shanghai was within the British jurisdiction