CO129-512-2 Political situation in China- and Canton 31-5-1929 - 13-11-1929 — Page 31

- 2 -

29

King-t'ong are still in Hong Kong.

They have both

SO

agreed to leave Hong Kong and wish to proceed to

America. General Tsui has through me applied to

the Canton Authorities for a passport and supplied

photographs and particulars of himself and his travelling companions. Marshal Li Tsung-jên,

Sir Shou-son Chow informs me, is about to do the

same thing. The Canton Authorities, however,

hesitate to issue passports to men who have been pronounced by the Nanking Government to be "outlaws" But I have intimated through His Majesty's Consul-

General at Canton that it is obviously in the interest

of the Nanking Government that these generals should

for the present absent themselves from the neighbour-

hood of China, that they cannot travel either in the

United States of America or in Europe without passports,

and that, therefore, if their perfectly reasonable request for passports is refused, I cannot bring further pressure to bear upon them to leave Hong Kong.

The Canton Authorities have now referred the matter

by despatch and telegram to Nanking and I am awaiting

their reply. I do not wish to act harshly against

either of these generals, for there is no knowing when another turn of fortune's wheel might not restore

them to power in Kwangsi, or perhaps even in Kwangtung: and I should like to dispose of this

troublesome matter without leaving a sense of grievance against this Colony in their minds.

Whether

3.