CO129-572-6 Hong Kong Seamen's Union- proposed proscription 22-1-1938 - 30-8-1938 — Page 38

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3.

Secondly, it will also be observed that the formation

of these Unions is believed to have support from the Canton

Provincial Kuomintang. I am quite sure that the Cantonese

Authorities realise how important it is to China that the

port of Hong Kong should function at maximum efficiency, at

any rate while the Northern ports of China are closed to her.

Any strike or commercial disturbance here is bound to react at

once upon the transit of supplies now handled here on their way

to Canton and the damage done thereby to Chinese interests will

vastly surpass any injury that Japan would suffer by, say,

a local boycott of stevedores directed against her. The

British Government, being neutral, must protect Ja anese

interests if they are attacked in Hong Kong and even a

well-meaning, though not far-seeing, Union might, in resentment

of such action, take steps that might seriously hold up the

Port's working. Moreover in such a case a not inconsiderable

blow might be dealt to British sympathies.

4.

In these circ mstances I suggest to you that you

should take an opportunity to represent to General Wu Te-chen,

r. Tseng and other Kwangtung and Canton Authorities that it

is eminently in the interests of China that they should take

steps to prevent the possibility of any such occurence here

and to discourage as far as possible any support going from

Canton to Hong Kong for the formation of such Unions here

at the moment.

Yours sincerely,

best

in theate