CO129-500-3 Canton situation- governor's despatches 29-7-1927 - 1-9-1927 — Page 68

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and popularity. It has issued circulars to all

its members at the different ports calling for

a conference of representatives at Canton on the

25th or 26th June, with a view to organizing a

fresh strike, presumably as a protest against the

repressive attitude of the Nanking regime towards

Lebour -licence; and it deems likely that a trial

of strength will be forced upon the Canton Govern-

ment at no distant date.

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4. The promised communiqué on the visit of

Messrs. Hu and Wai has not yet made its appearance;

but that need hardly cause surprise. Its text may

have been referred to Mr. C.C. Wu at Nanking and

in any case the Cantonese authorities would no

doubt be reluctant to announce any rapprochement

with "Imperialism" until the 23rd June was well

past.

5.

Meanwhile, a movement of which I have

great hopes has been started with the full support

of the influential District Watchmen Committee to

establish a local seamen's society with its head-

quarters in Hong Kong and its funds controlled by

representatives of the Chinose Chamber of Commerce

and the Tung Wah Hospital Committee. This society,

which will be entirely non-political in character,

is to be a real Trade Union and Benefit Society,

and it is expected before long to have 20,000

members. Even more may join later on, when the

honest application of the new Society's funds has

been fully tested by experience. Should this

Society prove a success, it will be a very powerful

deterrent

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