Parliament. THURSDAY, FEB. 10. The SpEAKER took the Chair at a quarter before 3 o'clock. SHOP HOURS. ('COMITTEE TO BE APPOINTEJ3. STR W. JOYNSON- ICKS, iorue Secretary f'Niekenhanr), informed Mr. TAYLOR (Lineoln. l.ab.) tbat lie was settizng up a Departmental committee with the followbiig terms of refer- ence:- *To inqttire into the working of the Shops (0arly Closing) Acts, 1920 and( 1921. and to onsider and reprort wvhetlier it is de..irable that those Acts should or should not be made per- manent, and if madle permailet whlether with or without modifications." In a written answer wlhich was subsequently given to Sin W. DEI FRECE (Blackpool). SiR IN-. JOYRsOx-HicEs stated that Sir William Varrender Mackenzie, G.B.E.. K.C., formerly President ot the Indiustrial court, will be i'hairman of the Committee. hut he is not in a pOsitiliu nt present to give thte niames of the other members. 'MAlr. MAC DONALD (Aboravon. Lab.) askeld whether the Committee was to be wvhat w-as caIned at, impartial Departmental Committee. or vhetlher the various interests were to be re- prenilted. Stit W. JOT5ON-HICXS said hie I load. cousidered very seriously which kind of i Comntnittee slhotuld be appoitnted, and he tltotilit it would be best to have th,e second t%je, so that the various interests might be represenrted. Sin F. AlEY:z ((reat Yamionthl. Ut.) asked whether the proceedings of the Coni- lnittee ,would be Opell to the public. Sin W. .1OY4$0-HicK5.-That will be a matter for the 6ornmittee to decide. Sia J. UAN (ian- ellester, lfutue. U.) inquired whether thc t'onr. ni ittee ^E;oiild he emlpow}Eered> ti, considler ti.c ossibic regulationi of tiw hour,s of shop a"sistnntsq as distinct frm tlw actual closing of the Phr,PY. silt Al. JOYNStN-HniM s replied that hi4 wvouldl not ask tie (Committee to con- sidi-r the otlder EaLrly Closing Acts. He added tliat he, hali (lravaii the reference sufficienlUy w ide to enable the Ctommliittee to consider wlhether hn , modifications were needed iu what woere called, Yor convenience, the " Dora " Acts. ALIEN-S IN GREAT BRITAIN. SIR W. JCYNSON-lICKS, replying to Mr. ]IhANXON (BirMinghanm, ?Moseley, U.). said thie total number of alien passengers (excludhig traismigrrnas Butder bond). whtio xwere given Itave to land is this countiy during 1926 was v67.124: the;iiurmnber that left during the same period as .a O'i61. No figures were avail- ;ble of thIe nnber of aliens enterinlg from the Irish Free State since passenger traffic between the Irish 'Free Htate and (ireat Britain and Northern Irelrtud' was- not subject to direct control. No cfrlnges had taken place in the tegulations durih,-d926. Mr. HIANNOSI baked whether the Home Secretary could :ssie the House that no aliens were displacing 3r1tish subjects in emplov- un)u1t in this coU1itryYi SIR Wl. JOY\SON-HICRS replied that the regulptions were being carried out with great st*ictress. aud that the one qitiestion whlicil the alien nimmigration officers hall to consider wag 'vwhether it wvas in the best interests of the eounary'that aliens should come in. CAr-rAix CAaRBOJotxzs (Hackney. S., L.) asked whether it wa possible for an alien to * .ne 51ito this country by wav of the Irish Free State. Sin W. J&-xsON-HiuOsj replied th at the Irisli Free $tatc conducted their traffic in a way that was exactlyt similar to oturs, and worhked in conjunction kith the Ifonre Office. THE FACTORkIS BILL. S1Pn W\'. JOYlNSO?\-lP(6is inlformlied Ir. i .?xos that, for the reas*rs explained by lihe Prine Minlister hin 1s itatement to the House, it had been dIeci4ed'A not to proceed vitlh the Factories Bill dtring the present Session, but to introduce i4 at the beginning of the followving Session, vkhich would cotn- nience in Noveniter next, with A view to its being read a second time before Christmas and passed into law in 192S. Mr: HANNON asked wlhel4iet the Home Secretary would consider carefully the repre- s.,ntationas which were being made to him at tire instance of various bodies ot mranufacturers in tiis country before lhe drafteki Nis new Bill. Mr. T. AVILLIAMS (Don Valley. Lab.).-Will the righit hIon. gentleman undertQce-Co see that the representations niade by the * orkers hi the various factories irid tircir brganizations will be filly conisidered SI1: W'. JOYNSON- l{rcs.s.-I ani looking forward to spending a very cheerful time during the iiext fewv nontsl neceivi rig deputations fiom btftlv sides. Lauglhter.) TAXICAB FARES. SlI' WV. JOYNSON-HICKS, anlswering I-Trsa.-COLONSEL HowpD-Brmt- (Ch(C rlniford, V1.). wIlo asked whetlher any furtlher steps hadi beecn taken to reduce the priee of taxim4ter'cab fares or to put a cheaper and lightets f6ur- seate!r taximeter-cab on to the London streets. said :-The answer to the first part of the.ques- tioin is il the negative. No new type of foutv- s-ater has been presented for lieensing, aind I have 'lo knowledge tlat any vehicle of such type is in course of costruction. T,lEUT.-COLONEL HOlVARD-BURY asked v4ietlier the Home Secretary was aware that ill Berlin new taxicabs were behig put on tlse streets, starting at 34d., and in Paris startiug nt 23d., in, spite of the higl octrmi taxes on petrol, and whether he could not see his way, whenl the prices of tires and petrol were lower thani they had ever been, to reduce the present exorbitant charges for what were often anti- cquated and antediluvian vehicles. (Laughter.) SIR W. JoYSsoN-lIxcxs said he sympathized with Iris hon. and gallant friend with regard to some of the vehicles (laughter), but he must remember that the police exercised their powers with discretion. Many of these vehicles were owned by retired soldiers, andl it would be a serious tlirng to be too stern in regard to them. Efforts were being made to improve the condi- tion of taxicabs. With regard to fares, nll lie could say was that, while they had not the benefit c - -f Lieutenant-Colonel Howard Bury's presence in the House, a Committee had con- sidered the subject, two-seater taxicabs had been authorized at lower prices, and lie hoped some of these would be seen on tho streets before spring. THE SEARCH FOR MRS. AGATHA CHRISTIE. SIR W. JOYNSON-HICK%S, replying to Mr. Lu.N (Rothwell, Lab.), who asked how much the search for Mrs. Agatha Cbristie, who was found in a Harrogate hotel, had cost the Treasury, said that, so far as he could ascer- tain, the arnount was about ?1 2 IOs. Mr. LurN asked who was to compensate the thousnds of people who were deliberately misled by this lioax. SIR W. JoyNsox-Hicxs.-I have no ptower in the matter. I imagine it was partly curiosity on the part of the thousands of I people. (Laughter.) COLWYN COMMITFEE REPORT. i Mr. CHURCHILL, Cihaneellor of the Ex- chequer (Epping), informed CAfrArs MJACnIT, .A (Stockton-on-Tees, U.) arid Mr. DALTON (Peckhain. Lab.) that the Report of the Colwyn Committee on National Debt and Taxation was presented'on Tuesday and would be in the hands of members in a few days' time. BETTIING TAX REVENUE. The CHANCELLOPR of the EXCHEQUEAR, replying to Mr. DAY (Southwark, Central,, Lab.), satd :-The tal amount of revenue de- rived from betting taxation during the month of November was given in reply to A question! by the hom member,on December 15. The corresponding 9gures for t1he monthas of Decem- ber and January 4re 2132,000 and ?89,000 re- spectiAvy. The total betting.revenue to the. end of 3snuaylamounted to ?54$,oo . Mr. DAY asked whether thldt came up to the right hon1. gentleman's expectations. Mr. CnvucL koplie4uthat it did not. He did not think that the Budget estimate would be reilried ih ths prt of the y,ear. Aznsvedig tr. DAt,li..MoNin,ts, Secretary t6 the Wreasxre (CGAbterbty), said. that 3 pro- 44ngs hindbeei lWteditge1sot -pp4irt-to p th*13et duty, and in 18. tcaeS ,oncurrent ,prock gs wgre Jstituted ?or e s on-b e boolirker without )i#vIn8h-i4 ki a eeri -. ; ieplyItntc2 8'odJ aTB(n?<;.d Sr.' recent Conversion Lont, Mr.Cnrncuu.L said:-!- The followilnrig lures approximate very closely to the final res1t:- Bonds couVerted. Nominal Amount of Amount. 4% Stock created. 3% Treasury Bonds 9,I7.2,50 I0,8O0,88S8 5% National War Bonids repayable at 105 . 5,226,217 81,043,572 4% 'Nationial War Bonds (tax frec) S5,386,501 41.736,071 100,7s5,277, 133,600,331 The differeilce in face value so shown is ?23,815,054, but in order to make a true com- parison it is necessary to take into account the 5 per cent. premium over par due on Five per Cent. National War Bonds. With this ad- justment the Increase in nominal value is ?20,553,743. The cash applicationis amounted to ?SI,300,525 Four per Cent. Stock, the cash proceeds from Which will be ?69,105,440. The annual interest charge on the new perpetual stock is estimated to _how a saving of approxi- mately ?492,000 per annum on the cost of the old securities, ineluding tax concessions, inte- rest, &c. ITALIAN- AND GREEK DEBTS. I Mr. CHIURICHILL, replyillg tO COLONEL WooDCocic (Liverpool, Everton, .), said - fn accordance wit It the Funding A-re;ment of Januar) 27, 19206 Commanid Paper 2580). Italy paid ?21000,000 on March 15, 1926, and O2,000,000 Oni September 15, 1926. The next half-yearly payment, also amountinig to ?2,000,000, is due on March 15, 1927. The amount of the Greek war debt to thi'k country is ?21,250,000. Interest has been paid by Grteee regularly on ?500,000 of the debt,1 wbhich represents a loan made to Greece before she entered the war. Apart from this, no pay ments in respect of capital or interest have been made. I understand that the Greek Government desire to effect a settlement of the lebt at an early date, and that the negrtiations! which took place on the matter in l)eenheri | last will shortly be resumed. Mr. HORE-BELlSIfA (Devonport, .. askted whether any riendjustiment of out , arrangements with Italy was come to (diiint! the right hon. gentleman's visit. .UI i CHUIRCiIILL-No, Sir. DEFALCATIONS OF INCOMNIE-TAX COLLECTORS. COLOINE l, WOODCOCK asked the Chan- cellor of tl,e Fxche(qu(-r w-hat were t o aniounts- for the pait thr?e ylears ar ising froml thl defal- cationis uo incomle-tax collectors, alnd whether h- proposed to, tak,- steps to biing in sonwi. legislation to put into foree the recoimenilda- tion.s ailae by tlto Uoyal 4OIIInuniYsioll in 1910 respecting t ii is matter. Mr. C1l-Lt(llll 1 l.-Su'jtect to the coiiiple- tion of investigations. the asotunts are as follow:-1tI21, X17,09()0 1925, ?24.1 l' ; Itl926 ?s,200. With regard to the scTond part of thel| quest.ion, mxy hon. aiki gallanIt friend will pel- haps not ask mne more at the raoment thani tol say that the wvhole! position, including tile reent report of the Committee of Public AceountL, is receiving my consideration. 'Mr. H. WILLLIAMS (Reading. l*.) asked whether some' of these defalcationis could not be avoided if taxpayers vere required to make out their celeques to the Commissioners of I Inland Revenue insteadl of bI namale to tlhe I collector of taxes ? Mr. ("HURCIULL--Any sug- I gestion will be considered, but I tlhink these, figures clearly show, when regard is had to the I enormous volumne dealt with, that at very high I standard is observed amongst the officials coni- nected with tax offices. PORTUGUESE UWAR- DEBT. 'Mr. CHURCHILL, in reply to Mr. TiruRTLE (Shoreditch, Lab.), said:-The Agreement for the Settlement of the War Debt of Portugal (Comnniand Paper 2791) provides for the pay- luent in cash of the following annuities:- For the year 1926, ?125,000 (already received); for the year 1927. ?250,000 ; for the year 1928, ?300,000; for the years 1029-38, ?35o0,000 a'I year; for the years 1I39-87, ?400,000 a year; for the year 1988, ?200,000. The aggregate total of the annuities is ?23,975,000. The I Portuguese Government ]las the right to dis- charge all outstanding payments due under the agreement by the payment on or before Decem- ber 31, 1927, of the sum of ?;5,500,000. ?Ir. SNOWDEN (Colile Valley, Lab.) asked wlhetlher the right bon. gentlemani had any information as to whether the Portuguese Governtmenit nere likely to take advantage of this arrangement. Mr. CHISCHILL.-I have not yet. I tinillk it must to soeie extent depend on the course of domestic politics in that country, whicl, at the present moment, appears to be somewhat disturbed. OPEN SPACES IN LONDON. M-r. PETHICK-LAWRENCE (Leicester, W., Lab.) asked tlhe Minister of Hlealth ivhether lie conitemplated taking any action by intro- duciig legislation or otherwise to preserve the i open spaces of London and to make them avail- able for public use. Mr. CHAMBERLAIN (Birmingham, Lady- wood).-No legislation is at present in con- teniplation, but the matter is receiving my consideration and I propose to communicate with the London County Council. | THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT. COLONEL ENGLAND (Lancs, leywood and Radcliffe, *;.1 asked the Prime Miinister whether it w-as the Government's intention to i retain in its present form the Ministry of 4 Transport, and if so whether it was proposed to fill the vacant post of Parliamentary Secretary. Mr. BALDWIN.-The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative and to the second in the negative. - THE IRAQ RAILWAYS. In reply to SiB F. WX3s (Ilford, U.), Mr. AmERY, Secretary of State for Dominionl Affairs (Birmningham, Sparkbrook), said that no negotiations were at present il progress vith a viewv to the sale of the Iraq. railways, but Ihis Majesty's Government had from time to time received inquiries on the subject from I interested finanicial groups. The condition. management, and pros pects of the Iraq railway syStein hadl recently ' ee investigated by a coi,-sulting engineer, and until his-report had been received and considered by the British and. Iraq Governments no flnal decision In! regajd to the future of the railways could be rdpcked. - FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE. Mr.- GUINNESS, Minister of Agriculture (Bury St. Edmunds), informed Mr. A. WILLtAMS (Cornwall, N..LT.) that 13 outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed since' Jinuary I last. Three of these-at Neasden, Middlesex; Kelvedon, Essex; and Witneys Oxon-appeared -to have been initial cases without known origin. Three others, involving nlw centres of infection, had their origin inpigs moved from !Neasden to Derby, which probably infected the -Derby Market or loding banks and the railway ttrucks. Of the other s&vee outbreaks, five were ascertained to he due t4 hiumanl agency, and the remaining twvo cases to infection probably contracted at Deb. U. -f l hSWS ugt eSoi THE M"KING OF FARM PRODUCE. In reply to BaRIGAOIXR4GtEERAL (.L;WIr-rox BaowVz (Newbury, U.), who asked whether the Committee to deal 'with agicultural produce under the MreclianAise Marks Act had -yet been appointed, Mir. Gtm-mss, said:-The Committee has now been appointed, and the membets are as follcw:-Mr. Udward A.. Mitchell Innes, K.C., C.B.E. (Chairman), Mr. George W. Currie, and Sir Basil Mayhew, KB.h, F.C.A. THE CLEARING OF WINES CAPTAIN HUDSONW (Hackney.., 7U)1 asked the Chancellor of the ERchequer whether he was aware that an oider had been issued restricting the clearing o, wlnes from ware- house and sbipsilde from February 2 to May 1; and whether, in view of its - eftect on our growing trade in Empire -WliWes, be, would consider modifying this order.. Mr. CHUFCHILL (upping).-Tbe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As- regards the seeond part, modifications of the orgnal arrangemtents have alrady been nmade slloving tol the recent expansion in thle demand for Empire- Wines. Replying to suPPlenlentarty qt1stlonus, W.r on. scEu said that the- order w.as issued, in- accordance with various precedenls, to 1 ensure that, if it should be found desirable to remodel the duties on wine, the intentions, of the House should not be frustrdteda. by! exceptional clearances beforebaId. A- SUGGESUD- T ON H&T1i Asked- by CArPUA UAsxE (St. PancuasF N3., U.): if in this - as Budget,. he Would txy. to reduce tile ta* pu beer an hs~ w*ould consider enpn hielfolssf -revenud by, InagOai, a,a6eret1 tax -on hotelbls r EOurx ad- Fbn.ve'noted the sugeUm Thr sonij. fettlement, and will nott be moved outside e;cept. in case of grav% ,emergency. It is contrary to tbl policy of hiis Majesty's Governmenlt to becsarte involved in any armed conflict betwveenjsiOtending Chinese forces, and is Mlajesty'*Tovernment wiU continue to iaintain, ,; trict neutrality in the civil war Xli Chin>. (Cheers.) If this agreement he signed>S.ld thlis assurance accepted, the troops tha8tcame from India, and which are already 0* their w iay to Shan;glhai, wvill be landed at Dhanghai. That is what we are advised is Immediately necessary to safeguard British lives. But the further troops going from the (editerranean and from home will be coII- celltrated in Hong-kong and will not proceed to Shanghai unless they also should be required bty tle emergence of fresh or greater danger. Mr. 31AC DONALD.-I thilk wve are all verv sensible of the importance of the statement that is being tnade, but what I wvould like to ask is this. A statenient has been read tegarding thle tbops anlld his 'Majesty's Goernnment's intentions with respect to them. WVII that be 1sent to Mr. O'Mlalley and be communicated to Ncr. Chei,, and il tie communication of that Ilessage anM statement to MIr. Chein will Mlr. Chell's opinioln-it is very difficult to put-wvill M1r. Chen?s nind be asked for by Mr. O'Malley s) that, if not exaetly any agreement between Mr. Chen and hiis Majesty's Government be Come to upon the point, nevertheless Mr. Chen may indicate that, if that is done, he will lave Dii objection SIR A. CHAMBEIRLAIN.-The whole 'object is to remove the misapprehensions Which, we are informed, are entertained in certain quarters in China as to the purpose for which we have sent this force, or as to the purpose to wvhicl it might be turned. The wAords which I lhave read have already been t0legraphed to Mr. O'llalley for commuunication to Mlr. CluLn. It is the endeavour of his 3Majesty's Government to satisfv Mr. Chen, to 21emovo iliese misapprehension.s, witlh due re- gard t;othe warnings wAhich re have received as to the danger at Shanghai, aild withl due reprd to our paramounit duty (Ministerial rs), recognized everywhere throughout the ?.llol1 world as our paramount duty, to pro- l ;evt British lives. I cannot predict the future. 'Vlle course of negotiatioins is .hways uncertain, tiid., it is doubly unicertaini, perhaps, wlheni, as it this case, they are carried on not merely at what I may call a confldential stage but in the presence of the whole wvorld. I hesitate Slow to say so muchi in this House lest I shoukl give offence to M,Nr. Ciheil in case he should not Ihave received the conamiuniictioLi which iMr. 'O'NlaJlev lhas beein instnrited to make. Let me 6ay that wve lhave acted without any delay *;nd with the utmost expedition that is possiljle. I thlat is bow matters stand at this moment. I lhope thlalt peace is secure. (Cheers.) I hope that not only is peace secure, buti that a new aind a better understanding of Britislh aims and purposes ma,y spread amonig tUe Chinese people, that they may see that we have no purpose that is hostile to them, that v- hlave no desire to keep them iL a state of subjection or tutelage or inferiority, and that w e siall rejoice as they develop their institu- thins so that they may discharge to the full Me obligations of any civilized Government to the foreigners within their gates, and many relieve us of privileges, so-called, wlinclih have be'come burdensome to them and obligations 'Which it ought to be the duty of the Chinlese authorities themselves to enforce andl to pro- tect. Hiaving said that, and havilng told the ilouse exactly hlow matters stand, I do niot think I need appeal-I know that I do niot kCed to appeal to Mr. MacDonrtld or to any speaker who may follow nie in this debate- fo walk vwarily nmong the perils and thc hopves of the nmoment, to use no word that could -ause Mr. Chein or those witlh whom he is act- tng to tlhink that upon a policy so peaceful, so liberal, pursued so earnestly. in spite of all that has happenedl, there is a single difference l of opinlion througlhout the wlhole of the benches off this House. (C(heers.) Mr. MOSLEY (Smethwick, Lab.) said the best prospect of instirinig and guarding peace 5155 to show to the Cantonese Government that there was in this country a strong body ,of opinio d(leterminedI to keep that peace and to resist the policy wlhiclh in the past had dis- rupted it and brought us to the verge of ivar. The Forelgn Secretary had denouniced the Labour Party as being divided on this ques- ?inn. It w.as onily a week or so ago that thle right hon. gentleman had to sit at a lulblic function while the Secretary for the l )ominiotis was openly flouting the policy Wbich lie was pursuing. slit A. CHAMBERL-AIN.-That is not so. Mlr. MOSLEY.-Then. wys it the policy of th1e right hon. gentleman to say that lie liad treached the limit of concessioi witlh regard to iChina ?1 SIR A. CITAMBE'RLAI-N.-The right lion. Erenitlemazi the member for Derby (Mr. Thomas) said yesterday that Mr. Amery liad 'aid we had spoken our last word. W!hat Mr. Amery did say was that xvheni onr prro- posals were published, as they would bl8 shortly, the couiitry would see that we had gone to the very limit of conciliation. I have never known a statement so perverted to the very opposite purpose for wlviicl it wNas intended. (Cheers, and cries of " Withdraw ! and Labour cries of " Order ! ") fr. MIOSLEY.-Then, the right lihon. gentle- man does say that the plublished statemeint was the very limit of concessioll to which ho would go. In the interests of peace (th:- lion. member proceeded), lie would not press that question (Miniisterial laughter, and cries of 'Oh I "), even to secure thIe partisan advantage of illustrating the divisions in the Government. The dispatch of these troops to China might tuin tihe new hope of negAiations unless the Government policy were still further modifled. So far from safeguardimig life, thiey were actu- ally endanigeriiig life, and our trade witlh Chinla was being ruiiied by the destruction of the good vwill of the Chinlese. on wlhichi that trade rested. Ha hope(l that the Bhritishm Government would approach the negotiations iin no Spitlit of bargaiining. lt was timne that this counti'y substituted the policy of a great natioi for tle policy of the pawiibroker. (Some Labour cheers.) If we niust scuttle, let us scuttle with dignity. (Some Laibour cleers and Ministerial cries of "Oh ! ") The Tory l'arty had already scuttled out of Irelanid in circunstances of tie greatest ignominy. In China we had followed a policy conceived in arrogance, conducted in panic, in thei hasty ai(i frightened dispatch of troops wlichl were quite unnecessary, and it might be concludedl in a similar ignonilny unless the effort of the peace party in this country were again successful. (Some Labour cheers.) The Governmeiit, wllicll had cut such a poor figure in domestic matters, now wished to launch out to a posture of strengtli in some other direction. This trouble N.ms not a war arisilg from strength, but it was a trouble arising froii the weakness of tbe Covernment in regard to the domestic situation. LABOUR ILLUSIONS. Mr. IIILTON YOUNG (Norwich. U.) said there was one admirable feature of the greater part of the speech to wlichl the House had just listened. As it mighit apply t) any subject which came up for debate, so. io doubt, they wvould have many opportunities of hearing it again in the future. (Laughter.) One of Mr. Mosley's observations, lhowever, should not be passed over in silence. There were ulponI the Governmeit beiiclmes menibers possessing among themselves as big a body of direct experience of the horrors of war as was possessed by any body of men of their num- bers in the world. Yet it was they who were told that, to gain a political advaniage, they were promoting and advancing tie approach of another war in th8e Far East. When such a Charge was Made against such-men, lie thought 'they were conscious that they were faced with an irresponsibility to whlichi it wass impposible to reply. (Ministerial cheers.) if they could detect two arguments among thin scintillatioDs of Mr. Mosley's rhietoric, ooe of thlem was that lie desired that the British Giovernment ,vould have made even bigger concessions to the Caiitonese party than they had. As e lie (Mr. M 'iltol Young) understood it, the British Govern- ment -had already offered all that she Cantonese bad ever asked, and the ozily thiiig that delayed matters was that t ie Cantonese party refused to accept what were once their demands. (Laughter and " Ilear, hear.) Listening to the speeclies from the other side ot the House, it seenied as tlougli they werr movin g in a - world of illusion, and te e first illusion was about thep Government in 1e South of Chiina. No oiie in the House could affect to khow whethe r the Cantonese Govern- ment was for the beuefit of the South or. not, but he saw thinags which madee hli doubt it. China was the worst governed country in the world; yet all that the Soutbern party found to do was to attack the concessions of the only decently governed parts of China. Another thing which raised 'his doubts was the appeal 'to the anti-foreign passions of the Oliinaman. A.-further Illlsioo oS the Labour Party was about the nature of British interests in Chim,a. Our money had gone there to pro- vide China with the foundations of civiliza- tion iin docks and harbours and railways, nnd it would be a shrewd blov to China- and to us it all that great mass of credit were to be demobilized,_r destroyed, -and wiped ;out. If -they wilid out. foreign nmvestment. we should .nnt get the lfcmez-tax, and 'the people to suffer in the lQng:r run would be the peoplew who were cprried on our shoulders. tJAe pepphe,who,were ntit -of - employmhent.' -Our inte-rest twWardls ,Chinak had no concein but the hiumble.interest -oaf the millons of produce's u'i Laflidahiire. {Pearj-.hear.) - Peoplesppkeas. if. he, expecditio en~St to. Chin wa-tobe ollwedby' somie,new -bdttld 01 Paasy Buv 1 & oUc would'-WIN0Qyears. CHINA. LABOUR AND SHANGHit Tl:tOOPS. Mr. LANSBtRY (Bow and Bromley, Lab.) asked the Prime. Minister if he would state what number of troops or otlier armeed British forces were at present at Shanighai available for the defence of the international settlement in that city ; what was the total number of warshiips of all sorts and the strength of the crews of same at present in Chinese waters and on the way thereto; w*hat was the exact number of troops of all armies, including the Air Force. that were at present on the vay to China; and the approxnimate number of British citizens resident in Shanglhi and the estimated number resident in Chinla. Mlr. BALDWIN, Prime Minister (Bewdley). -Tle total number of British subjects resi. denit in Shanghai is about 9,300. The latest returns available show the number of British subjects resident in China to be 15,247. It would not be in the public intemest to give the detailed information asked for in the earlier part of the question. (Cheers.) Mr. LUNN (Rothwell, Lab.).-If it is true, as stated in the Press, that 20,000 troops have been vent out to China to protect these people's lives, would it not have been cheaper to have takeu them tu some place of safety rather I than to send troops ? (Ministerial cries of' Oh! ") i MIr. LANSBURY.-In view of the many statements as to the number of troops and other forces on the wav to China, would it not be well that we should have a statement giving thc accurate number of additional troops. if we cannot have those that are at present in Shanghai 5 Mr. BALDWIN.-I am sure the lion. meoim- ber will recognize this, that the troops will n,t be used unless an attack is made on the safety of British lives. That attack can only be made by mobs or by troops. I think he will also recognize that if any one is going to make an attack on foreigners at Shanghai it is not desirable that thev should know too many details about the Defence Force. (Cheers.) 'Mr. LANSBURY.-Would it not be ad- visable. in order to prevent attacks, that those vho may be likely to be attacked may know what thley are to receive P (Laughter and cheers.) Would it not be in the interests and the safety of the people whom you pro- vss you wrant to protect- (Loud cries of " Speeeh ! ") The SPEAKER said that this matter could more properly be discussed in debate thiau at question-time. BRITISH AND CHINESE CASUALTIES. M,. LANSBURY asked how moinv British citizens had been injured or killed in. Hankow, Cantoni, and Shanghai during the past two years; and could an estimate be given of the number of Chinese who were killed or injured during the disorders wlhich took place In Shanghai in May, 1925, Canton in June, 1925, and Wanhsien on September 5, 1926. Mr. G. LOCKER-LAMPSON. Under-Secre- tary for Foreign Affairs (Wood Green).-I pre- sume the first part of the question is intended to refer solely to British subjects killed or in- jured in the course of anti-foreign disturbances at the three places named. With this proviso, the total number of British subjects kiUed during the past two years is three (one at Shanghai and two at Canton). As regards British subjects injured, no exact statistics are available, as injuries are not in every case reported. There were, during the disturbances at Shanghai in 1925, 59 instances of violent attacks on foreigners. The report of the dis- turbances at Hankow in June, 1925, states that several British subjects were injured, and in Canton four British subjects were wvounded. It may in this connexion be pointed out that it has been necessarv for British subjects to evacuate numerous towns in Chinla, including Hankow, on account of the danger of mob violence. The Chinese casualties in Shanghai in the disturbances of May, 1925, amounted to 12 killed and 17 wounded; at Canton in June, 1925, to 37 killed and 70 wounded; at Wan- hsien on September 5, 1926, there were under 100 civilians killed, about 140 wounded, and 280 soldiers killed and wounded. In the case of Shanghai the Chinese casualties were in- flicted not by troons at all but by the muni- cipal police, over whrom his Majesty's Govern- ment have no control, and( at Canton in the course of a disturbanice in which troops of another Power besides ours were engaged. The MARQUESS of TITCHFIELD (Newvark, U.).-Howv long has the lion. member for Bow and Bromley been created liaison officer to Borodin ? (Laughter.) NATIONALISTS AND BRITISH ThADE. Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSOi. replying to 1r. RoBronsoi (Ellarnd, Lab.), said that while there was no general boycott of British textiles in China, trade was constantly hampered in thie area under the control vi the Nationalists, both by civil war conditions and by wvhat was styled "the movement for the severance of economic relations wvith Great Britain," which resulted in sporadic and intermitte;t boy- cotts. The latest report from Shanghai showed a particularly nmarked absence of demand for British piece-goods. COST OF THE DEFENCE FORCE. SIR L. WORTHTNGTON-EVANS. Secre- tary for. War (Colchesterf. informed Mr. GILLBrr (Finsbury, Lab.) that the estimated cost of conveying the troops which formed nart of the Shanglhai Defence Force from the United Kingdom and Malta to Chiina was ?645 ,000. Replying to Mr. THutTLE (Shoreditch, Lab.), Stu L. WonTHINGToN-EvAN'S Said that it was proposed shortly to submit a Sul)plementaty Estimate to provide for the cost of the;Shanghai Defence Force, COLONEL APPLIN (Enleld, U.) asked what lengti of front it would be necessary to lhold in order to ensure the safety of the in- habitants of Shanghai and the number of troops necessary to occupy it effectively. SIR L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS replied that thie length of front of the international settlement at Shanglhai, exclusive of the French Concession, was approximately 16 miles. It was not in the public interest to give the other information asked for. COLONEL APPLIN asked if the troops iiow on their way to Shanghai were more than sufficient for the actual protective defence of that front. SIR L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS.-Oh, no, sir; I think not. CAPTAIN GARRO-JONES (Hackney, S., L.) asked whether the Secretary for War had taken any steps to prevent the purchase of aeroplanes and the hiring of pilots from European countries. No answer was given. MR. CHURCHILL AND THE FASCISTS. Mr. THURTLE asked the Prime Minister i' his attention had been called to the recent 1declaration of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in support of the Fascist Party in Italy, and, if so, would he state wwhether or not such declaration represented the policy of the Government. Mr. BALDWIN.-I have only read the report of this interview in the Press, and I did not see anything to which exception could be~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~l; tl?:en. B BX8 Mr. THURTLE asked whether it was the view of the Government that it was highly undesirable for responsible Cabinet Ministers to interfere by means of public expressions; either of disapproval or approval, in the internal domestic politics of another country. (Cheers.) Mr. NALL.-May the same view be com- munieated to the responsible Opposition ? (Loud Ministerial cheers and laughtel.) Mr. 'IHURTLE.-Would the Prinae Minister give us the view of tile Governmet, on that point ? Mr. BALDWIN.-I have nothing to add to the answer I have given. (Cheers.) EQUAL FRANCHISE FOR WOMEN. Jn answer to Mr. TAYroR. (Lincoln, Lab.), who asked what steps were being taken by the Government to extend the franchise to women in order that women should be eligble to vote on the same terms as men at the next General Biection, Mr. BALD:W= said:-The Cabinet is considering this question in all its details, and I hope to be in a position to naLk a statement to the gouse irm a few weeks. BRITISH PROPERTY IN RUSSLA. Mr. LOCEERRLAMPSON, Unnder&ecretary for Foreig Affairs' (Wood Green), replied in the negative to Iu irr-OowAx, EFfEi (Louth, U), wiho asked if the Rtussian Soviet Gov!etnme ut,had made any rpronsabs for the settlement of British claims in co1Ieklbn .vtj the con-lscation by, the Soviet e n t ot British isatitmals~ pmp Russia. C~OST 0?EQflPf IM. * ~RENOWN. Mr.. ;BRHDGEIA, IstLrd the Duchess of York and suite was estinntaed at I ?5,000, and the total extra cost failing onl Navy Votes througlh the use of the ship for the tour, on the assumption that she would otherwise have remained with the Atlantic Fleet, including the extra steaming and canal, harbour, and docking earges, was ?86,000. BITSINES$ FOR NEXT WNEEK. Mr. BALDWIN, Prime Minister (Bewdley), I replying to Mr. MAcDoSv.u (Aberavon Lab.>,I said that on Monday the House would take the| continnation and completilon of the debate on the Address, and tire Opposition amendment i relating to trade unions *vould be discussed. On Tuesdasy. until S.i5, they wou3d take Supplementary Estimates in Committee. On Wednlesday, untiQ 8.15, nnd on Thursday they Wvould turther conlsider Supplementary Estimates and other orders. THE LATE EMPEROR OF JAPAN. PARLIAMENTARY TRIBUTES. Mr. BALDWIN. Prime Minister (Bewdley), rising at the end of questions, said:-In accordance with precedent, set in the Parlin- nment of 1010, wvhen the Earl of Oxford was Primrre Minister and Leader of this House, I beg to submit the following motion: -- That an humble A4ddress be presented to his Majesty to convey to his Mnjesty the exPression of the deep regret with wlhich this House has learne{l the news of the death of the Emperor of Japan, and to pray his Majesty that he will be graciously pleased to express to his MIajesty, the present Emperor, the profound sympathy of this House with the Imperial Family and with the Government and people of Japan. I am sure the country learnit witlh profound regret of the death, on Christmas Day, of the Emperor of Japan, after a reign of 14 years. The outstaniding event in his reign was the Great War, during whtichl time, as an Ally, he and the gallant Japanese played a notable anid a loyal part. (Hear, hear.) Later, at thri time of the Washington Conference, Japan and G;reat Britain abandoned the old form of alliance, which had subsisted for some years, from a feeling that a military alliance of that nature was less hi accord with the feeling of the new world than it had been wvhen that alliance was first entered into. Aind that alliance was transferred into the basis of a vwider fellowship, in whieh other countries were able to cooperate, vith the object of main- taining peace thlroughout the Pacific. During the late Emperor's reign the industries of Japan inicreased and her conitribution to the w orld's advaneement botlh in knowledge and hi science was consideranble, and she is rightly recognized to-day as a nation standiig in the forefront of the great nations. We are proud of this long-standing friendship, and xe trust that it may continue for vears to come as one of the nmain pillars of the peace of the world. 3Mr. MAO DONALD (Aberavon, Lab.), seconding the resolition, said :-For a very long time now the relations betweeni Japan and I Great Britain have been of the most intimate I and cordial character. Sometimes we have I beetn in formal alliance with Japan; sometimes we have -not; but we lhave never ceased to be animated by mutual good will. Despite deep- seated differences, we have many thinlgs ul common. Our political policies, for instance, have been influenced because we are island nations adjoining great continenits. We are both great maritime peoples. WVe have both responded to those developnents in industry aud art that have been the unique character- istics of this age. WVe have had a uniique and very intimate cooperation withi Japan in founid- ing great educational institutions like the Imperal University, wlhich have done so much to increase her power and her respect in the world. Therefore a sympathetic liote has always sounded in each of our hearts wlhen each other's distresses and triumphs have come. It is therefore meet that this House to-day should beg Iis Majesty to send to the presenit Emperor of Japan, his Government and people our most sincere synmpathies with thenm in the nationlal bereavement which they suffered whlen tihe Emperor died at tie end of last year. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE (Cainarvon Boroughs. L.).-Tho senitimenits of the House have been so adequately expressed by the Pritne Minister and the Leader of the Opposition that I oiilv utter a few words it order to showv that this motion represents every section of opilnion in this House. There is a sad appropriateniess in a motion of this kind comhig from the British House of Commons. The late Emperor thlouglh- out the wvlole of his reign had a friendship which was unifeigned and sincere for this country. He was the first to depart froin the unbrokeni tradition of 2,000 years tmat the heir to the Throne should not leave that country. He did so in order to send that heir to England. It was during his reign that the allianee between his great country and ours was put to its supreme test and loyalty and bonourably lie and his Ministers, with the backing of the wlhole nation, carried out faitlhfllly the obliga- tions of that alliaice at a time when we stood sadly ill need of their assistance. When the whole of our resources were concentrated Upoii our own coasts, the Nortlh Sea, and the Atlantic, and when we had not adequate forces to protect our trade and commerce in the Pacific or to convoy troops, Japan, faithfully interpreting the obligations of the alliance, con- voyed troops and protected our commerce. We are therefore not merely giving a formnal expres- sion of the sentiment of tie House, but we have a feeling of grateful recollection. Mr. THURTLE (Shoreditch. Lab.). rising amid cries of " Agreed," said he would not say one word in opposition to the motion, lut he wvished to ask the Prime Minister wbether he understood him aright whlen he said the motion was a formal motion, wlichl was moved in all cases of the death of the head of a country withi whvich we were in diplomatic re- lations, irrespective of the form of governi- ment ? As a democrat he did not wish to see any invidious distinctions made in matters of this kind. Mr. BALDWIN said the motion had been moved, as had been donie in other cases ivhere special relations or terms of special amity lhad existed. The late Emperor of Japan was a loyal and faithful ally of ours during one of the greatest periods of crisis. The motion was agreed to, and at Mr. Baldwin's request was inscribed on the journals of the House as carried, nen7ine contradicente. CHINA. MR. TREVELYAN'S AMENDMENT. The debate wvas resumed on the motion that an address be presented to his Majesty thank- inig him for his gracious Speech from the Throne. . Mr. TREVELYAN (Newcastle, Central, Lab.) maoved, as anw amendment to the Address, to add the worcls: But regret the delay of the Government in dealing with the Chinese situation, and de- plore the dispatch of armed forces to the Far East as calculated not only to increase the risks to which British subjects in various parts of China may be exposed, but also to put obstacles in the way of arriving at an e[quitale. and permanent friendly under- standing witb the Chinese people on the basis of a franlk recognition of their national independence; and this HIouse accordingly calls for the immediate diversion and recall of the forces now on their way to China. 'He said it was unfortunate that the nation was so much occupied last year %with the coal stoppage that people's minds were not free to wvatch and weigh the disastrous events in China. With regard to the shootings at Shanghai, Shameen, and Wanhsien, the British Govermnent adopted a policy of saying very little, and a wrong impression bad been gived heke of the real significance of those unfor- tunate incidentsa Within a fortnight ot the shootings at Shangbai 200,000 Chinese, in protest, began to leave Hong-kong for Canton, and the Hong-kong autharities told the authorities at Canton that they had to be sent back again. Hong-kong stopped two ships going up to iCanton. The, results were disastrots to British trade. The export of cotton goods fell from mote than 12& milion pounds in 1924 to 71 millions in 1925, and to .six millions in 1926. If they wanted an explanation of the anti. British feeling in Chine, of Hankow, and the reason why our trade on the Yangtze was going, they would find it in the events which vere constantly before the Chinese people. There was no- need of- wily propagandists to make people obect to being shlot. (Opposi. t-Son cheers) The policy of Canton was abso- lute independence for the CIinese, the extine- tion ofth the equalA trekities, the disappeffrance- of the concessions, sid the with,drawal of the tmittarv and naval fotes of the Western nations from the teiriitory and waters of China. (O osition cheers.) That was also the policy of-Lt: ADii Pat.(Opposition cheers) it Waa quite trun that So'iet Rtmsia.- was also backifngthat policy, but' the Labour Paurty Imere nOt going' tD AllOW theircutyt Government was attenmptig to be the sane.i It was undoubtedly mo%ing In that direction, witli more caution, being a Conservative Government, but he gatheried that It wvas the same. He thouglit that M. Vandervelde, the Belgian Foreign Minister. wvas light in two things, first of aU in iudicating that the nations of Europe had got to give up the wrhole of their unequal privileges in China, and secondly in stating that that was the general attitude of the British Government and of aU the other ! Governments. j The efforts of Sir A. Chamberlain during the past few weeks to begin to make a settlement had been wvatched by the Opposition in the j hope that they might succeed, and they wvere sorry that up to the present they had not succeeded. The challenge of the motion was 1 against the action which vas in effect stultify- ing all the right bon. gentleman's xviser policy. The nation could not play tw,' games at once; it could not be friends with another nation! and at the same time threaten that other: uaticn. The sending out of these military forces had thrown back everything Iito chaos. Self-respecting Governments did not sign treaties while the mailed fist was being shakeni in their faces. The Opposition were sorry that the Governmient had taken the action that they had done, and the sendiing out of this force was a very unfortunate example for a nation to show which ought to take the lead of the world inL the League of Nations. He agreedI that technically it would be extremely dimcult i to bring the question of Clina up in the I League, because the weak Peking Goveriinmenit was the only Cihinese Governmlent which had I an official position in the League, and also' because the United States was niot a member of the League. But the normal atnd regular machinery of the League did niot settle the I trouble betwveen Italy and Greece, and he | thought that it vould have been a good thlng I if, even at an earlier stage, there had been I a partial intervention of the interested Powers. It was stated that the British Government v:ere now thiniking of approaching the League. I He hoped that the time would come soon wvhen a Governnment would thlk first ratl,er than last of approaching the League of N.ations. (Opposition cheers.) The argument brouglht forwvard hitlherto in favour of the expedition to Clhina was the behef that it was necessary to protect our fellow- countrymen in Shanghai. Ou botl sides of the House there would be agreement that there wvere risks, but they should weigh the risks one way and the other. There was a risk xwhihel seemed to be the only one in the minds of a great many supporters of the Government--- namely, thc risk of niob violence and uncon- trolled soldiery in Shanghai-bht they had no right to put that risk very hight. There was no proof yet that the Governiment could lnot have got soine very considerable guarantee of security ironm the Chinese. As far as the Canton Governmeut were concerned, they knew that they wvere dealing with reasonable people. (Alinisterial laughter andl Opposition cheers.l Nobody reading the utterances of Mr. Chen could think otherwise than that wve had reasonable men to deal with. It was most un- fortuniate, if that was the case, that ve did not try to come to an understanding with these reasonable leaders of the Chinese people before we entered on this course of military de- monstratioi, wlhich was frustrating the better ends which wve had in view. WVhy should ve put the risk in Shalnehai so high ? For the last two years scores and scores of Chiinan-en had been killed in conflicts witlh us and otur nationals. They had heard that day that only tlree Englishmeni had been killed- (Ministerial cries of Oh! )-well very few. Thlerehadbeennogreat outburst of fury against individuals in China. btht there had been a very serious thinig indeed to us-an attack on our trade. There had been a very serioces boycott, but there had not been aiiy great outburst endangering the lives of people. Therefore the danger. to wvhich Mr. Lloyd George alluded yesterday, that the police in Shanghai would be unalble to deal witlh the situation, and that we should have to have re- I course to embarking our population in order to take them illto safety. was a verv remote | possibility. But the risks on the other side. and thie course xvwhichl the Governmenlit had taken. were infinitely more disastrous and more immuediate. In the first place. the elhance of a inezotiated settlemenit was destroyed. at any rate for the tinme. Tlht *lisaster Imd already occurred; negotiationis had been broken off. There wais another verv serions matter. Pon. members onnosite wiolhed to secure the safety of the 8.000 or 10.000 British in Sinnhani. as they all did. (Ministerial cries of " Oh ! " There was no need for him to dwvell on that point: everybodv knew they all vanat'd that.. Accordina to figln;es grivnru them that afternoon. tlhire were () '00 British peoule in Shanhnhi. Tlkis extedition was going io make thieir lives secreP witj,out thef uneessity of removingr them i iif nr.'- occurred. What abhout the other Britih ? From flgeps givenl that dlav there wpre ano)tlhel 6.000 scattered all ovpr Chinia. l-n to noxw. on I tlie whle. these comi)atriots oF *)I' had heon safe (Mmniisterial cries of "Oh ! 0 thev ilhad, on thc wh-ole. been unmolested. There lhand not been any cases in wllielh ,rv oi tlhem hled beeni killed. If there xwas flightinig in Shanghai. because of the presence of our trooi)s. Nvlat wvas goinig to haproen to these people in the other parts of China ? Our troops did not helP them at all: our troops endangered their lives. (Our troops, by in- creasing thq indignation of th?e Chliinese people, by increasing ill-feeliug in Chinia. put these compatriots of ours into a far worse position thani they were in a few xveeks ago. If we did begin to flglht, what, then,. was going to happen ? We now knew that we hlad united all China against us. A few days ago, after the announcenment of the British expedition. the son of the Mukdeu War Lord, Mfarshal Chang, made this announcement: "1 Tf the British attempt force. I am sure all Chiiese. both Northern anud Southlern, will ri.se together I to defend their country." If the (Government would not accept the suggestion wvhich the Opposition made. if they would not call lbac their arm, vwhat was going to happen e These forces vould go to Shanghai ; they would land, watched by a sullen, hostile populationi and. until they wvent, they would be face(d by the same hostile, sullen. anlgry people. The best that could Iappen for us-this was the situa- tioin vhich had arisen-was that the angry Chinese people would not attack, and that they would be content with a trade war on us and with boycotting our trade. The worst that might happen wvas the ghastlv bloodshed of war. A spark might light it, as we had sent the powder there. It was a trngedy because the right hon. gentleman had come so near to success. (Opposition cheers. He hnd nearly brought the thing off, with the good will of everybody : and then, in came this expedition. making it impossible for him to succeed until lhe himself, or until his colleagues, would retract the decision which they haa made. (Opposition cheers.) SIR A. CHAMBERLAIN'S REPLY. SIR A. CHAMBERLAIN7, Foreign Secretary (Birmingham, V.), who was greeted with loud Ministerial cbeers, said:-As the right lon. gentlemani proceeded with his speeeb. I under- stood the hesitation which overcame him in anl early passage of it when he undertook to tell the House for whoml be spoke. (Ministerial laughter.) IIe finally decided that he might confidently say that lie spoke for those who sat bebind him, but I think it is clear he can hardly be thought to have spoken for those who sit beside him. (Ministerial laughter.) The atti- tude which he has taken to-day is very different from the attitude taken by Mr. J. H. Thiomas, in the speech which he made recently in the country, or in his speech in this House yester- day. (Ministeril cheers ft ho not necessary to refer to the speech of the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has never under-estimated the gravity and the diffl- culty of the position with which his Majesty's Government are called upon to deaL He lhs carried the responsibilities which I now bear, at the same time that he carried the responsibi- lities of the office of Prime Minister, and he knows howgrave those responsibilities are when British life is threatened by violence and dis turbance elsewhere. The Leader of the Opposi- tion and I, myself, speaking on bebalf of his Majestyfs Government, are not far apart in regard to the policy wbich we desire to follow in relation to China. The right hon. gentleman, in one of his earliest writings on the subject, observed that he was for the revision of the Treaties and that he was bent on a peaceful settlement,butthst that settlement could not be I obtained by surrender and would not be ob- tained by scuttle. (Ministerial cheers.) So I hope that Mr. Trevelyan wil pay a little attention to the words of caution vhich proceed from his leader, Mr. Trevel-yan has used language wvhich canot make my task easier (Miisterial cheers), and which cannot possibly contribute to the solution which hc desires. I impute no motive, but I say that le haS used language ehich cannot possibly contribute to the peaceful solution which he desires, and may ivell be taken elsewbero as an encouragemnent to refuse a settlernent (Miii- steria cheers), which, if there be and if rcrc haa been no such encouragement in last speeches, might even now have been reaehed. (Ministerial cheers.) POLICY OF ELML GOVERNMENT. agree with.the right hon. gentleman that youi cannot. widerstand the present position snes you taesome account of- the biawTor of' this quesio-Proni timie to timae In. the . lonlitoyo China a dyna6ty bhas ailedi been oehrw, and a long period o ii dis~turban&A lhas foIIoie4. In reeent -timtes, since the cou,taet -betvveen -tihe West a nd. the East, those periods of civil disturbance liave always been periods of risk and danger to the foreign communities in Cbina. That has been the case in the years wlhichl have led up to the present position, and in the troubles wlhich I lhave existed ever since the fan of the Manchu dynasty. His Maiestv'e present Gove!nment. are responsible for but two of those vea ! Wheni we took office our first endeavour tvas I to cooperate cordially witlh the other l'owers wlio have interests in China, and. abonve all, with those two, the Uuited States of America and Japan, which next to ourselves have the largest ilnterests, because we felt that division among the Powers made the reachiing of any settlement more diffdcult aud miglht mnake it impossible. When we carme into cffice the Tairiff Conference arranged by the Washington Treaty was not yet in existence. The Com- missioii to examine extra-territoriality bad not beea brought into being. Our first efforts were to secure the meeting of the Tariff Conference, and we vent to that conference to secure, through its deliberations, the completion of the Washington Agreemenit, to the advantage of China and to the amelioration of the relations of the foreign Powers with Chlinia. We some- times sacrificed oui own view of wlhat was wisest and best to this desire to Secure harmoniy and a result and I do not thinkt, whatever impatience people may feel about the delays as they look back upon tiihem. that anyone wouli have justified us if we lha(l broken up that con- Ierence by unwillingnieas to concede to othlers or by hasty action of oulr oWll. We followved that conference to the end tiln it petered out, alas, witlhout agreement anmong the fozeignl Powers. It petered out because there was no Chiniese Government with wlhiell it could any longer negotiate. Tlen we took up the ques- tion of what was to be done, since the TarilT Conference had failed and siice wve had received the report of the Extra-territoriality Commis- sion, and in our December manifesto, wlieh appeared, not acualaly on Christmnas l)ay. but considering its tone aind temper not inappro- priately on the day after. we indicated the broad and liberal lines on which, we were ready to move in the hope of plaeing the relations of foreign Powers with China, and our own in par- ticular, on a friendly and satisfactory basis. EXCITING AXTI-BRIT1SI FEELING. Our new Minister at Peking, arriving in CIina.i stopped filst in the South in order to iiform himself as to the character and nature of the movement there and the intentions ot those wIlo directed it. He took the opportunity of opt n- ing conversations with Mr. (hen. 'Tle rigilt lion. gentleman (Mlr. Trevelyan) repeated a question put by the Leader of the oppositioln as to whether before the troops were ordered to mnove we hlad miade any effort to arrive at an arrangement wvith tile -Nationalist Government. Already -r. Miles Lanipson. on his way to Peking. had stopped for the purpose of opening up conversations with Mr. Chen. and it was understood betweeii them when he coutinued on his way to Pekiig that either lie himsneli wvould returin or Mr. O'Malley would be sent to Hankowv in order to resumue those conversations. It w&as at that stage that the attack upon the settlement at Hankowv took place. But before I deal with that I must say something of an earlier incideit, because it is only by review- ing things as a, whole that you appreciate the full gravity of the menace to British life which that event disclosed and you see how patient we lhave been and how earnestly we have pur- sued peace. notwithstanding singular peril anid grave provocation. (Cheers.) The right lion. gentleman alluded to the Shanghiai incident. Observe that what took place originated in the death of a Chinese workman in a foreign mill, not British, thiat Ute Biitish Government did not control the Shanghai munticipality or the police of the muniuipality, but thlat in consequence of disturbances in Shanighiai the mnunicipal police had to flre to arrest an attack upon a police station in wlhicil arms were stored. For that action his Majesty s Government have no more responsibility thani any other foreign Goverunient in Chinia ; yet althoughi the incident had its origin ill a dis- pute betwveen the Chiniese aid a iaii of aniother nationality, not British, all the force of the agitatioin stirred by that shoothig was used to promote anti-British feeling and turned to anti-British purposes. You conie to Canton. Two concessions were attackedl. Firing was opened by soldiers mixed hi an othelrwise peaceful procession aeross the river into these twvo concessions anid the troops of both Powers. one of whicil was tle British. fired in defenec of their nationals | and saved the lives of their nationals. Againi all the agitationi is turined against the Britishi. annd the whole of the feeliig, I wvill not eveii say prejudice, naturally aroused by any case of that kind was used to fan an anti-Britishi ! agitation and was directed to making our posi- I tioui, the position of our nationals in (hilhla, impossible. A boycott was opened against our trade, and long after it had ceased in the rest of Chinia it was persistently continuedl at Cantoll agailnst ail that came from British sources or throughi the British colony at Hong- kong. You come now to Hankow. I do not deal wvith Wanhsien for two reasons. That was not ail iicidenit between the British and an authority (if t1se National Government, because I am gla(d to Say that our relations withi lWVanlisien have been, and are, perfectly satis- factory. (Labour cries of li! ") Our rela- tions with the autborities at Wanhsiell have been peaceful and friendly, and are peaceful aid friendly nowv. Please observe that I have been clealinig with cases wvhere we anid other foreigii nations were ecqually concerned, or, ,is at Shanghai, where we ourselves wvere not coui- cerned except by the fact that the officers of the police force were British. but where thet whole of tile passion aroused by the incident, or wlichi it had been possible to call forthi by the incident, lias been directed against British lnterests, aind British interests aloiie. AT H1-ANKOW. Now yott conitI to Hankow. There all tilljc, Concessions at Ilankow. but it js, vcIv tile British Concession that has been attacke'd. I do not say that there has been no disturban-e. no cause for anxiety to other nations in respect of their Crincessions, but all attacks again l-llI upoi the British Concession. The other Con- cessions still remain on the old ternns within the ownership of tie nations to whicih thev belong. Now. what happened at liaukow ? 1On tue morninig of January 3 a large mob, after listening to inflammatory speeclhes made by a member of the Nationalist Governmenit 'id by Borodin, tried to enter the British Conc;s- SiOn. Durinig the afterinooni tihe available naval ratinigs were hlanded and were emplovedl with the 35 nimarinles wlho were alreadv a'shore to proi.ect the Concessioni. DLuriing the whole after- noon they weere subjected to a fusillade of bricks and stones. They niever fired a siighe shot. Some of tlieni were knocked down anid injured. There had to be a. bayonet charge to rescue them, and in the course of the bmvonet charge two Chinese 'vere wouned, hliot not a Chiniese was killed. Did ever troops sutijeut to every lprovocation. ShloW such gallnGt sell- restraiiit? (Choers.) By eveninig tihese nia' al forces, this smnall naval force, were withdrawni to their ships or to headquarters on shore. where they were. held in readiness during the night. The volunteer force of the Chinese and Indian Concessions Police had been employe;l all day in maintaining order inside the Coii- cession. On the next morning, January 4. the Rear-Admiral arranged with the Chin'- se authorities that Chinese troops Ahould guard the boundary of the Concession on the under- standing that the British naval forces wouldl be withdrawn. The Chinlese did not properly carry out their part of this araugeinent, or on the 4th and 5th a violent and threatening mob entered time Concession. anld the assist- ance of the Chinese and the military police iaed again to be called in. The faet of the matter ;vas that it wats a mob wlich you could ;jot control wvithout firing, but our officers refrainei irom giving the ordler to fire in order niot to create julst that kind of incident for which the mob bad been provoked and incited. (Cheers.) The right honL genitleman has said in words that I regret, as they may be taken elsewhere to hold a meaning that he does not intend. that no self-respectirt' (3overnment wvould sigii treaties wh;en the mailed flst was being shak.nm in their faces (Labour cheers.) Il spite cf thie thailed fist being shaken in our faces- (iMinisterial cheers)-ii spite of the forcible seizure oI our Concession. wc lhave negotiated. vwe are negotiating. The right honi. gentlemall says " A mob." Yes; but then if it is only a mob anid nothing more. why do not the Chinrese authorities turln it out and restore tie Concession to its rigiltful 1reaty owners ? (Ministerial cheers) That is what happened at Hankow. and observe that that happened after Slr Miles Lampson liad been in conversa- tion with Mr. Chen, and after he had arranged that either he bimself or Mr. O'malley would return to HRnkow in order to renew, the Con- . ,.... In spite of that, anid iii spite of the strictire about self-respecting Governments, llis Majesty's Governmeint consented to nego- tiate. Conversations were entered into with Mr. Chen with a view to arrivlng at a filial settlement. Sometlxing very similar, but with more violence, had taken place in Kiukiang, and that and another settlement had been evacuated by us in order not to bave to flire on the Chinese and Chinesetroopm. It was-ot that stage that the vrgbt hon. gentleman the Leader of the Opposition wrote that yet could not settl affairs in Chilna by asurtender, and that. poweesison Was llot- to be obtained. by a scuttle. His Majesty's Government had to consider what might be the reactlion as a eol- sequence of this sucess by violence at Han- Ikow. and-theyhad toQthiTnkof 'it iu term8 of PRESENT POSITIOX. The result is that collversautions which were broken off have been resumed sad have been contillued steadlily betwveen MSr. (Illfen and Ir. O'M1allev, and wve have nlowv reacilced this point, that as regards th- concession we are in agree- ment Tie. concession at the present tiue is being administered bwy a Chinlese commission. All the British civilhiis ashore are concen- trated in one buildhig, and the line of the agreemeplt whic lizhs been reached is that tho eoneession shall be returned to the British Municipal eouncil, vho nill formally haud it over to a new SinXo-Br itishi municipalitv. The newv municipal eonueil would lie modelled on that already existing aud functioning FO , atisfactorily itn the fornier Geinanu Conces- sion. It would be elected by the ratepavers and the funds that were raised would be spent. iO the municipality. All ceiuNus would bo countersigned by one of the British Conisuls. 'rhere would be a joint Sino-British audit of the aCcOunits, andl the ratepayers would have the righit to eettle the Budget anid a veto right. On these conditions, Mr. ('hen and Mr. O'Malley are agreed, and w-e siall be prepared to give Mr. Clhen an assurance that the British authiorities concerned will do all iu their power to imuplement and ensure the successfil opera- tion of the agreements. As far as the British aultilorities are concernled, Chinese citizens will eljoy. anld will be entitled to, the same rights as British subjects in the said area. (Some Opposition cheers.) Tlhese are steges of the agreement, but as far ais these parts are colI- ceined( we are agreed if we arrive at agree- inelit upon thp wvholi-. Mr. Chen is prepared to give to his 'Majestvy' Governrmnt or to Mr. O'Malley an assurance which was in the mani- festo which was pulblished oli January 22, whien the Nationalist Governme.nt declared their intenition tind their immediate readiness to have all questionis ouitstanding between Nationalist China and foreign Powers settled by negotiation and agreement. This inplicitly applied, and was intended so to apply, to the questions of the status of the British and other Concessionis, and the International settlement in China. This necessarily means (so tle declaration rulis) tILat the Nationialist Govern- ment vill not use force or countenance the use of force to effect changes in the status of the Concessions and the Iiternational settlements. MOVEMENT OF TROOPS. There renmains the question of the troops now moving towards Shanghai, aud it is neces- sajy that tlat aIlsb sIliould come into the agreements. Without agreement In regard to that there is nio agreemenit at all. His Majesty's Government cannot take the respon- sibijity for the safety of the lives of their nationials in Shanghai out of the bands of the men on the spot (Ministerial elheers), who are not only best able to judge what the danger is, but are alone in a position to judge. 14i- majesty's Governmnent have been advised by their Minister iii Peking. by their Constil- General In Shanghli. by tile Commander-in- Chief of the Chin)a Statioi, who is at. ShanghaL and by Mr. () 1iley thit additional troops are necessary to enaible those forces already in Slihanghai to afford st*curity in thlese- troubledl times to British lives. His Majesty's Goveril- ment, therefore, w hilst prepare4 to accept th- agreement which Mr. O'Malley and Mr. Cheat have drawn up,) are prepared to give the assur- ance wlhichl 3Mr. Chen desired. They are. pre- pared to accept the assurance whtich he giveq on behalf of the Nationallit Government that they will seek an arrangement by negotintiol. ,nd will neither use force nor countenance the use of force. As regards the troops, in order to remove any misapprehension that those troops which go to Shtanghai go there for any purpose eXcept to protect British life. or tbat they can be used to take part in civi war in China on tho side of one general or o<ne Government or another. hlis Majesty's Govern- ment are prepared to say that, as regards the troops at Shanglaia his Majesty's G6vermeint have reserved the right to take 'ue3lr*ieasufus as ari necessary for thc pt ction of rtiftag lives aind interests against mob violence, &14, orderly troops, or any lotr of violent atta, but his Majesty's Govemtient bave never iCoI- texaplated the use of troops tot Zv SpurOse except such protection, and will fisi - ly such numbers as are nees8sary Zor tbirpoie. Thesoa ttOoo -wll ;be tatloed wtbij Shanghai, "here thele is a great international settlemeint with between cight and ten thon- sand British subjects. a grat number of other foreigtexs, and a very large Cliinese populh- tion. We were advised by everybody on dtic spot that it was necessary to send reinforme- ments, an(I that the forees available were in- suflicient to secure Mc in Shanglhai If trouble arose. THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION. It is verY easy to stand at this box-though it is easier to stand at that box-and say that you must not overrate the risk, that you must not put it too high. WVould the right boi. gentleman (Mr. Trevelyan) feel quite as happy if his nife wvas in Shanghai: (Ministerial cheers.) Wonld he be as happy if he vere theze himself? LMinistorial cheers anc laughter.) Would he be as confident th ; these nere risks, in face of the opinion of men on the spot, that wt-e could fairly take if on his shot.lders instead of on ours restel the respon- sibility :< Mibnisteritil cheers.) We decided that we mutst send out reinforcenments to the Far East. It is asked wvhy we thought thes( precautions necessary when no other Pouvr took similar precautioiis. Every Pewer n!.s taken some precautions, but our l positioul is ;. very special onie. (A LnBOtI: ME3MnEnoz.- Why- ? " For thet reasons tlhat I have cxpla-ined hi the eurlier part of mny speech. t:tt, througlhout these last two yeats the whioh: drive has heeii a aist the B'itisl:. Our natioials. therefore. were more, directl- menaced than those of aniy other Power. OUu- community w,is larger tha;v that of any other Power except Japan, hot. whereas Japan could pour as maniy troops as slhe liked into Shalnghai in 48 hours, any additional force sent for protection from here must take weeks to arrive. We could not wait until the danger was at thle gate. (Ministerial cheers.) WnV! *ouhld not wait to t.ke these piecautions. anl purely precautionary me.surits they wer-. until the lives wert already in immediate and imminent danger. Accordingly. we gave our orders for these! reinforcements to go On Januarv 17 and 22. Meanwhile Mr. O'Malley had gonle down to Hankow to enter into conversations and nego- tiations with Mr. Chen. Tlhe movement of our troops wias lunowni to 1r. Clhenl nt least by the 24th. when he recorde(d formal protest against our precautions. Bult lie neverthele-s continued the negotiationrs. By January '29. Saturday. au agreement was reacbed about the concession on the basis of a funthler British memorandum xvwicii las already been pub- lislied. and signature was lixed for the next morning. This related to the llaiikuw aln Kiukianig concessions an l d thbe general lines of the British policy as diselosed by tho coin- uipii<atiml,s which ".MI O!'?lallel 11had1 b>ee autihorized to mnike to Mr. ('hen. 3Th agree- ment wvas reaehed on the 29th amid signature was fixed for the next day. Onh thu. next morning-thie :Otli-Mr. (lien sent hi& se'lr- tary to Mr. O'Mallc- proposintg various further amendments in the agreemenjts which had been made the day before. These tunendments were discussed. I do not know exactly tite details, but some alterations were made. New docu- ments were prepared for signature, and at 4 o'clock Mr. Chen sent word to Mr. O'Malley that everything xvwas in order and arraniged for | signature at 5 o'ctoel;. At a quarter before . Mr. Chen's secretary again appeared, andtl i,- iformed Mr. O'Malley that somne of Mr. Chen's colleagues had raised certaii objections to the agreement, not to tbe forces on tliis occasioin. but certaii objections to the agreement, and that further ploceedings woulid have to be postponed unltil Ml. O'Malley should he:ir again. On the afternoolo of January 31 Mr. (lien's secretarv informed Mr. O'M;lley thnt .Mr. Clhen vas unable to sign the agreement. but would resume the conversations. Oni Feb0uary I Mr. Chien read Mr. O'Miilley thje statement w hiie has appeared in the Press. the pomit of hich wvas that tlLe Natitinalist G Government could not .onrlude an agreement ii the British troops wvere concenltrated on Shanghai. At a later point. I thjink on Febru- ary 5. Mr. Clien made a statement to Press representatives at Haukow which appeared int our owvn papers. where lie says, commenting on my speech at Birrminglimnn, that I cntirely Uils- uuderstood the positioll, and all the stress of his objections is laid upon the haii, not tlat we were not offering an agreercut to tile Nationalist (Government, not that wve wvere sending troops, but that wve were consenting to negotiations oni the same ternms and thie same offer witil the Government of Peking. ?Ministerial cheers and laughter.) In othbe words. he states that my offence and that of his Mfajesty's oovernment is not that we will iiot treat W ith the Nationalist Govermnuenit, but ;that ive i'iU not treat exclusively vitb thie | Nationalist Govrnmetrlt ald thus make onr selves lxlrties to tlle internal faction. Whieu Alr. Chen ii made his last conmmunication at thlat stage to Mr. 0'Malhlv be gave a not xerv definite undertaking-I m not sure I shouild b be entitled to call it promise-that he Avould tlUiik matters over and communicate with Mr. O Malley again. His Majesty's Government therefore decided to await the coiinieits of Sir Miles Lampson and ot Mr. O'Malley on these reports and a further commnullication from Mr. Chen, and Mr. O'Malley, acting upon instructions, pressed Mlr. clien to let us have wlhatever more be liad to saty. out of date. There were countries with terri- torial ambitions. He would only mention one -Russia. But the hatred of the Chinese had been diverted to the Power that had no such ambitions. He believed it to be an illusion that there was a great awakening of the Chinese people. The great masses of China were tle same as ever they had been; and the one passion for wlichl Chiinamen had been known through history was insensate hatred of the foreigner. In photographs of the Han- kow mob one saw faces which were not civilized faces, but the faces of barbarous men inflamed with lhatred. A small band of educated men were making use of these forces. Another illusiou was that those who were leadiing the Soutlhern forces wvere not under tbe influence of Moscow, that they were not Bolshevists. There were two parties, no doubt. WVere not the murder and - looting of the wealthier Clhinese because of the taint of bourgeOisie ball-marks from Moscow ? In external policy also they saw hall-marks in- dicating thle metlhods of Moscow. The policy laid down by his. Majesty's Government seemed to be Avatertight with onie exception. It did not seem to provide for the contingency of our flnding a Government established iin Chinia accepting the ful priniciples of Moscow, regarding no agreement, carry- ing out no treaties, and contfiscating property. It was neceessary tlhat there should be some base of refuge in the continenit of China to whicll members of scattered British communlitis couldI go if the storm broke. As long as Shaniglhai vas safe they were safe. He was perfectly prepared to leave the decision where ti,e troops should land in the lhands of the advisers on the spot. Clhina was still an ulncivilized country with no settled govern- ment, ani( in those conditions trade wvas impos- sible witlhout Concessions wlhere ordered government was established. The time for abandoning the Concessions would be w hen there was ordered government in Chinia. The liberal British policy could not be effective unless there was propaganda to bring it before the Chinese people. It was no use pressing negotiations too far in the present unsettled condition of affairs. WVe did not know what the final Government of China was going to be. Wfas it any good trying to make final bargains and treaties ? Would it not be better to keep our liberal offer open and await the settlement by the Chinese of wvhat their Government should be ? A LABOUR PROTEST. MR. GUEST'S APPEAL TO IIIS COLLEAGUES. Mr. ITADNE GUEST ISoithwvark, N., Lab.) snid that hie wvas unable to support the amend- ment inove(i from that side of the House. For an Opposition to ask the Governmenit of the day to recall troops which tlheir advisers had told them were required was a responsibility wl,ichi nO Opposition should take upon itself. (Ministerial cheers.) He did not intend to slhoulder tlht responsibility It was not as if those advisers were meni whose trustwortihi- ness was questionied. They had it from the Leader o,f the Opposition that 'rl. O'MIalley and Sir 31iles Lanipson were men of the very highest quality and the higlhest chiaracter, and that the Government could nlot have better advisers on the spot. The Foreign Secretary had stated that day that the leading authori- ties in Shanghai wvere of tile opinlionI that it was necessiry to have troops for the defence of our nationals.. Under those circumstances he (Mr. Guest) could not see hoV anly ie- sponsible man, responsible to the country as well as to Ills party, could vote agailist the policy of the Government. (Ministerial cheers.) lIe said, with a due sense of respon- sibility. thiit aeallendlnient Nvhiiel had been moved in tlhe 'tame of thie Labour Party was InOt tile eolisidledtl policy of the tunited Labour niovemeiit. The polilv of recalling troops was expressly excluded from the lines of policy laid downl by tile joint meeting of tile trade unions, the National Executive of the National Labour Party. and tile Executive of the Parlia- mentairy Labour Party. It was also expressly excluded from the speeclhes made by MIr. J. H. Thomas and the Leader of tIle Opposi- tion in that House ol Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. (Ministerial cheers.) There wvas so little difference between the two sides 01 thle llouse that it wouldl be the gravest possible disaster if there wvas any appearance to the worldl outside of anv serious or grave division of opinion. He could not regard this question as a matter wvhich could be played withl from the party political point of view. (Milisterial cheers.) They should remember tilat they coul(i not lightly play witlh the lives of British men and women wvho 'Were in our care in any part of the world. Whatever Goverimeiit was in power it was the duty of that Government-and it would fulfil that duty -to protect those lives. He did not wishl to say anything wilicli would add to. the difti- eulties of negotiations in China. They would all desire to treat witlh China on a footing of complete equaility, but it would be foolish for them to delude themselves into thinking that there was no violence, that there .vas ito possibility of disaster, and that all the troops and people in Chinia were well controlled. and that everything went on well-oiled wheels. There v:as considerable risk of undesired coII- flict in China, and lie cotuld not support *. policy whvicil wotuld deprive our people in Chinia of the protection of troops who, as the Leader of the Opposition said on the previous day, were sent out not to act as soldiers but as police. He hoped that it would be found possible either not to press the amendment to a division, or to take some other course whici wouild avoid conflict. Ile did not meats conflict in the Labour Party ; the Labour Party w*s a matter of relatively minor importanee compared witlh conflict w hicii involved tile Empire as .a whole, or conflict in Shanghlai. (Ministerial cheers.) Proceeding, the liol. member said:-I have seen in other countries the uFe wliicli can he made of speeches made in this country bv t hose vheo speak, perl.alis, in another language. atiid add in translatican all kinds of flowers of speech wlhichll oulld verY much alarm the originll speaker if he could understand the translated speech. Therefore, I stand here, not having to appeal to the larger section of the House, buit appealing very seriously and earnestly to the members of my own partv to come back from the very dangerous excuc- sion which they are taking, n1ot on a road towards peace and security, but on a road wlichl may lead them in a very different diree- tion ili(leed unless they Come back from it at an early stage. I do not wish to say anything of an infln:amatory liature. I do not want it to be th- Llht, either, that I stand here alone. I do noc stand here alone in thi opinion of members of these benches, ald I do not stand here alone when orie tlhinks of the opinions of all the inarticulate millions of working people in, this country. (Ministerial cheers.) I am sure that wvllat I am saying and the feelings and opinions I am trying to voice are tlie more real and true feelings and beliefs o' the Labour Party of the country as a whole than are those expressed ill the amend- ment. (Loud Mhlisterial cheers.) SIR A. IONU'S VIEWV. SIR A. MOND (Carmarthen, U.) said that Mr. Guest was to be complimented on the courage whicli he lhad displayed-(Ministerial clieers)-in stating vhat, quite truly, was much more the view of tlle great mass of the work- ing men of this country titan the extraordinary literature wlhich wvas beinig showered through- out the country by the Independent Labour Party or the extraordiniary resolutions that were being passed, or the amazing speech of Mr. Trevelyan. It wvas very difficult to under- stand why, when any question arose in which this country was inivolved, a large body of niembers opposite slhould immediately assume thavht their fellow-countrymoen wereg ina te wrong, thlat tney were scouindrels and robbers. and that everybody else was ill the right ; that their lives were of no value, anid that the ques- tiont wvhetlier or not thley got massacred was of little iniportance. MIr. JOHNSTON (Dundee, Lab.).-Tt is not true. It is deliberately untrue. (Opposition cheers.) May 1. on belhalf of all my colleagues here, state categorically that that statement is not true ? SIR A. MOND.-If the hon. member will state that outside this House to those whom he eindeavours to delude. it wi be a great deal more usefuL (Ministerial cheers.) Mr. Trevelyan's speechi vas on. the lines that only three English- men had been killed, so wly slhould we attach this enormous importance to the risk of life ? It was amazing that a responsible member of the House, who was once a Mlinister of the Crown, should make suclh a speech and be icheered by some members of the Labour Party. That speech was entirely contradicted bv the statesmanlike speeecles made on this subject by the Leader of the Opposition, who, from the beginning to theend, had shown his marked divergence of viewv fromu whtat might be called the " Hands off Clina -.moveiuent. In a pamphlet issued by the Independent Labour Party statements were made which they knew were inaccurate. What had these English men and women in China done that they should be attacked ?P They were wvorking for the sale of British goods there, tlus giving employment, to hundreds. of thousands o f people in this country. They bad. been do- scribed'in another speecli as "lshady adven- turers.'" To. describe the... great merehant houses of Shanghai, vhich had behtnd them -~-o dscrbe irm lie hs. SirA.Mond's) ownil'ichforthijit 1 yers adbeen the propagands of teUse-~of Briihchemicals Jn:Ohisia-aid wastaffed -with mden of the blighzest 'iutegt -#ud abillty-ua, "8ady adventurers" carrying on some kind of extra- ordinary clandestine trade- Mr. JOHNSTON.-Who said that ? SIR A. MOND.-A member of the Labour Party, Mr. JOHNSTON.--WhIjch one ? Give us the name, in case ytu have invented that, too. SIR A. MOND replied that he had the quotation there. An hon. lady-he could not remember her constituency (A MLir-' STMrIALISr.-4" fliddlesbrough ")-said, at Aldershot, on February 1 last: "Our troops are not being dispatched for the protection of British subjects in China, but for the protec- tion of the very shady trading that went on there." Mr. THLTRTLE (Shoreditch, Lab.).-She wvas referring to the opium trade. (Ministerial' laughter.) SIR A. MON,D.-It w;as rather an extra- ordinary way of referring to a traffic which has ceased many years ago (M^[inisterial cheers), and wvhich we made great sacrifices to ter- ninmate. mr. THURTLE.-It is going on nov. SIR A. MOND.-If it is going oil it is smuggling. That is not the great trade of Shanghai. It is impossible to argue with people so ignorant. (Loud Ministerial cheers and Opposition laughter.) Shanghai is one of the; great mercantile centres of tie world, and you might as well talk of the great port of New York as being occupied iu " boot-legging." (Miniisterial cheers and laughter.) He could not tilink why some Labour mem- hers tilougilt that there was an object to be served by traducing their feilow-countrymnen wVho wrere carrying Id arduous and difficult nwork throughout ti.s w orld and in countries ke China. (Ministerial cheers.) It was by no means easy to obtain Englishmen of ability who were willing to live in a tryiilg and diffl- cult climate and to exile themselves in order to promote British trade. If these people w"ere to be harassed and worried it would become almost impossible for any frm in tbis country to carry on trade in Cliiea. It was absurd to contend that the sending of British troops to China would so outrage the Chiniese sense of sovereignty as to make settle- nient by negotiation impossible. ln his opiniion it would have the result desired. It would enable moderate men in China to point out to the wild mne that they could not kick the Britisli out of China into the sea without any opposition. Equally absurd was the cnnten- t.ioII that the Britisil Concessions in Clina impaired the exercise of China's sovereigiity. These concessionis were like garden cities, in wlicih the Britisi lived the lives they were accustomed to at hlome. He could not imagine that if there were a fewv Hampstead garden cities in the wvhole of Europe inlabited by People from China, European govereignity would thereby be so damaged that it could not carry on negotiations. (Laughter.) He believed that if tilere were a Labour Governi- mlent in office they, in spite of the eildeavour of the tail to wag the dog, wvould Iave acted 11o differently frorm the present Governmenit, for otherwise thley would not have remained in office 48 hours longer. If 10on. members opposite were under tile delusion that the great mass of the British people were indifferent about the lives of their iationals in China, and fought an election on that issue, they wouid ilnd themselves in a queer position. The resolution amounted to an invitation to the massacre of Britislh subjects. After the speech of the Foreign Secretary some responsible nieniber of tile Labour Party should have got up and declared Iiimself satisfied alld advised the witihdralval of the resolution. WXhat Nvas to be gained by showing a divided front on thle question of China ? Mr. JOHNSTON (Dundee, Lab.) said the amendment asked that the troops whlicli had been sent to Shanghai should be withdrawn because they could not safeguard thle lives of the 6,000 British people in the interior of China. if conflict Nvere provoked at Sbanglai, the lives of those people in the interior of China would be endangered. Mr. HANBURY (Dorset, N., U.), speaking as one who 30 years ago 'was closely identified with trade with Chline, lad lived for two years n Shalnghai, and travelled largely in Western Chlil, and as a trustee for very big interests in Shalghai, welcomed the actioli of the Government in sending out a defence force. fe wns horrified at the Labour suggestion that we slhould leave Chlna. That would, indeed, be a terrible blow to our prestige in the Far East. If they evacuated China, India would go next. Ile hlad the profoundest beli^f in the character aiid good sense of the Chiniese people. Theje was no reta hostility betweeni them and the British. The trouble was largely caused by disturbers of the peace from Moscow end by the propaganda that wvas being directed from that horrible centre. The country ought to be grateful to the Government for the strong, wise, and prudent action they had taken in sendinig a defence force to Shanghai. Mr. BARKER (Abertillery, Lab.) insisted1 tlht the dispatchi of troops wvas not the best way to protect the lives of our nationals in CIiniia. SIR J. DAVIDSON (Farelam, U.) said the Soviet Government could not leave us alone in Cliiia. Tlhat day there was a heading in The Timrs, " Soviet as Agent for Canton," and it appeared that as our goods were net going to China on account of the boycott thev were making arrangements to get the Poles to take our goods and pass them tiroughl Russia and into China in that way. It was really time to take some action against th^- Soviet Government. (Hear, hear.) His own, view was exactly expressed in a recent letter to The Times from the Labour mem- ber for Consett (Mr. Dumnico), who wrote:-"Unfortunately, there is a tendency in certain quarters to assume on al! occasions sucib as the present that our country is always wrong aiid that every other country witlh wlhom we are in conflict is always right. That is an attitude of mind to be deprecated." (Hear, hear.) AMr. LANSBURY (Bovv and Bromley, Lab.) said lie did riot deny that it was the duty of any Governmellt to have regard to its iationals in other countries, but lie dissented from U.e method by wilicli the present Gover-i- ment proposed to carry out that duty. MAJOR SALMON (Harrow, U.) said that lie was in Slangliai, Peking, and Tientsiu as late as last November. During his stay in those cities, lie saw inothing but the utmost kindness shown to the British people and to foreigners geiierally. There seemed to be Pn extraordinary idea as to what Shanghai was and how the people there wvere treated. If before they made rash charges against the foreigners there hoii. members would see for themselves wlhat really hlappened, instead of trusting to thleir imaginations, they xvould have a totally different idea of the position. Mr. RENNIE SMITH (Penistone, Lab.) said the best people of China were being slowly driven to the conclusioll that the Western Powers, and particularly Great Britain, would iiever allow the Chinese to develop towards freedom and independence until they liad repeated the same cycle of development that had characterized the Japanese. ' 'hat was 'he central problem to be faced. SIR R. HORNE'S APPEAL. SIR R. HORNE (Glasgow, Hillbead, U.), re- ferring to Sir Austen Chamberlain's plea fur a cooperative effort on behalf of the nation, asked whether, in connexion with foreign affairs, in a matter in wlhicil the division of opiinion was not very great or bitter, it might not be possible that some combined uolic- might be adopted. Two days ago lie listened to a speeci by lr. MacDonald, which, con- sidering that lie had come from the Albert Hall on the Sunday night witli quite otiler sentiments ringing in his ears than those le expressee. show'ed bigti courage and an exalted sense of responsibility. The right hon. gentleman took pains to show that the only difference between bib own opinion and that of the Government was as to whether they would be more likely to avoid trouble by send- ing a force out to China or by keeping it at hlome. It seemed to him that that was an issue upon which it would not be (lifficult to come to some united opinion in that House. Therm were the two ways, but look at the consse quences of the two different views. Suppose Mr. MacDonlald was right and theGovernment were wrong. What was likely to be the result , The force sent out was not large enough to bo aggressive. Its onily hope for its owoi safety was being confined to this narrow tnclave with the sea bellind it, on which were the ships of this country and other foreign Powers. At the worst it seemed to him all that would hlappen woulJ be a possible stale- mate, in which ultimately negotistions were' bound to begin. But if Mr. MacDonald was wrong ? They had had experience of mob violence in China in the ast, and was there any mian in the House who would ever forgivc himself if he saw oerpetrated on the British communify at Shanghai the. kind of violencf they knew of front past Listory, or ever recon- Aide it 'itli his conscience tlln,. he had neglected to take the simple precautions which woull have savel these people from those horrors and barbarities ? (Cheers.) He ventured to put it to the House that they might very well, on the present occasion, show to Clinn that the country had complete con- fidence in the purity of the motives of the Government and were prepared to support them in the perfectly iiecessary action they were taking for, the, safety of our own people. (Hear, hear.) TIley had been told that the -private cm munications of the Committee of Trade IJion to 'Mr. Chen, had been the greatest factor in preserving peacefu -negotiat ions. That might be,.though hie shbould iiot have thought tini it helped to peaceful negotiation to convey the impression that opinion in this country was divided. (Hear, bear.) He could not help reflecting that if independent communications with the representatives of a: Government with which the British Government were in negotia- tion were to become common and frequgnt, wvbat a condition of ridicule and confusion the whole of diplomacy would be reduced to ! (Hear, hear.) Suppose the IJnionist Association had thought fit to send to somebody with whom Mr. MacDonald was in delicate negotiation when he was Foreign Secretary a private communication saying that they were entirely averse from the policy which he was putting forward. Would hon. gentlemen oppo- site have thought they were playing the game ? Would they not have considered that they were "queering their pitch " ? (Hear, hear.) He very much hoped, now that the Govern- ment had announced its intention of sending troops to Shanghai that they would not be deflected from that resolution by any suggestion of provocation. (Cheers.) MR. MXAC DONALD'S SPEECH. Mr. MAC DONALD denied that there bad been Labour niegotiations with Mr. Chen. There had only been a communication of viewvs in the nature of a definition of where the Labour movement stood. (Laughter.) All sorts of elements both here and abroad were communicating with thc Canton Government and using the name of British Labour, and the communications they made regarding the posi- tion of British Labour were not true. It was plain that these communications were in- fluencing the situation at Canton and the negotiations that were going on. In these cir- I cumstances a communication was made privately to let Mr. Clhen know esactly wlat the views of Labour were. Xhey went so far -and if members chose to regard this as negotiation he had no objection-as to let Mr. Chen clearly understand that if he in any way wished to respond to the views of British Labour he should carry on his negotiations witl the properly accredited representative of the British Government and carry those negotiations to a successful issue. Sir R. Horne had given a free para- phrase of what 31r. Chen said about the Con- servative Party, and had evidently read him with a carelessness not characteristic of Scots- men. Mr. Chen made a statement in which the words quoted appeared, but how wvas the statement made ? Mr. Chen said that if the object of warlike measures was to guard against British lives and property being put in jeopardy by the possible Chinese seizure of the intermational settlement at Shanghai, there ought to be no anxiety on the point in view of the statement he had made to the British repre- sentative. In the next paragraph lhe said that if, however, the mnssing of forces vere an expression of the type of governing mind that fed on the bodies of slaughtered men (Ministerial laughter) -. Was not that the alternative againist wvhich the Foreign Secre- tary was constantly defending himself ? He stood in the other position described. He had hammered in with eitliusiastic sincerity the point that he had no intention of offence. The Foreign Secretary's speech was of a very great importance, and lhe hoped most sincerely that the weight, the effect, and the opportunity of that speech would be duly weighed in Hankow. But he (Mr. MacDonald) held in Ilis hanid two specimen leaflets from a stock whichl were to be distributed all over the country by the National Union of Conservative Asso- ciations. They were not quite in the same tone or the same spirit as the speeches made by the responsible leaders of the Conservative Party in this country. He remembered a very un- happy scene in that House wlhen Lord Balfour, wlho was then a member, got up and charac- terized a statement made by a member of the Liberal Governmenit as being a cold, calculated, anid frigid lie. That description was the descrip- tion of these leaflets. (Opposition cheers.) It wvas nll very welt for right lhon. gentlemern to say that they were not responsible for suchi leaflets. They wvere responsible, and that sort of thing could not be donie. It was well known that he and his colleagues on the Opposition were flghtinig to get an accommodation and secure peace. But they held quite sincerely that the transport of troops was the biggest obstacles to such an accommodation at the present time. There was no dispute about the negotiations ; every section of the Labour movement had com- bined to make negotiations easy (Ministerial cries of " Oh! ") and had stood behind the Foreign Offlce in conducting those negotia- tions. (Ministerial laughter.) The matter in dispute was the dispatch of troops. Every possibility of removing danger ought to have been exhausted before that step was taken. Assuming. as he did, that the party opposite were sincerely desirous of protecting British subjects, he said that the best method of pro- tecting them against risk was to remove the risk. If they sent troops they really resolved one risk by putting another in its place. Could hon. members visualize the action of defence- the mob, the troops, the confined area of the international concession, or what might be the still more confinied area of our part of the con- cession, the stream of a beaten army coming rushing like a flood down into Shanghai and on to the international concession, and meet- ing this defelnce force, and then say that the action taken at the moment for defence was an. action that they could confine to defence the next day; because they knew perfectly well that then the boundary between defence and offence was bound to break down. SIR A. CHAMBERLAINT.-Taking the hypotlhesis which the right hon. gentleman has himself suggested, are we to stand by and allow this rabble of soldiery to overflow the con- cession ? (Loud Ministerial chees.) Mr. MAC DONALD.-My point is that the right hon. gentleman has never tried to protect himself against that, except by soldiers (Opposition cheers and Ministerial laughter); and that, by adopting that method alone, he knows perfectly well that he can draw no line between a stage of operation that begins with defence, but whiclh is bound to end with off ence. (Opposition cheers and 'Ministerial cries of " No.") Mr. MacDonald, continuing, said that what Sir A. Chamberlain had never answvered, except by a very vague hypotlhesis, was this. Supposing he could protect Shanglhai by his'policy, what about the 6,000 or 7.000 British outside Shanghai ? The right hon. gentleman liad already united the North and the South. He had already created unsettle- ment in China. (Ministerial laughter.) Could the Under-Secretary, who was going to reply, deny that no attempt was made to use Mr. Chen's statement of January 22, in order to remove risks completely, by coming to an agreement regarding that declaration about Shanghai U Until the Government answered that, they stood condemned for taking a step which should have been the last step, and which they took as the first step. (Opposition cheers.) GOVERNMENT REPLY. Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSON said he had fully expected, wlhen the Foreign Secretary con- rluded his speech, that the Leader of the Oppo- sition would get up and say that in view ot the most important negotiations going on witlh Mr. Chen no further speeches of a contra- versial nature had better be made. If the right hon. gentleman had said that and followed it up by suggesting the adjournment of the debate until the negotiations wvere over he wouild have added to a reputation already great in the House. The real cause of the present ferment in China was the new spirit of nationalitv that was abroad in China, the desire to mai-e China an independent country free from foreign control. It was a genuine movement of Cihinese aspiration, but outside influences had intervened to use it for their o-n purposes. It was perfectly true that foreigners in China were largely outside Chinese lavv, administration, and 'taxation. Those privi- leges had gradually grown Up under' treaties agreements, customs, and habits. No Govern- ment had ever done more to try to meet the vishes of another people than the present Government 'had done. The 'Government wanted to see a united, independent, and sovereign China, but meanwhile they were bound to see that the lives of British citizens were secure from risk. Could they neglect the risks when a Chinese paper in the South of China published a notice the other day: " Kill, kill; you have nothing to fear " ? There was no Chinese Government at the' present moment' that could guarantee the safety of our people, and that was the only reason for the dispatch of troops. Directly it was clear that there was- no further risk those troops would be immediately re- called. He vas sanguine enough to believe that not a shot would be fired; but he was perfectly sure that if the Government hiad not taken 'steps to protect our fellow-citizens in China, but had. abandoned them to the risks to whiclh they were inevitably exposed, they would have justlY incurred the reprobation oi aU decent people. throughout the country. (Ministerial, cheersm) The HEouse divided on the amendment and there voted- For the amendment . .. 113 Against . .. .. . 320 Majority against '. .. 207 The debate on the Address was adjos'u1irled, The- House adjourned at a quxarter past 11' o'clock. PARLIAM1ENTARY'NOTICES. HOUSE OF COMMO'n. (AT 1 O'It 6Me.) Rest-ed dcbate on thq A&ddress Llepuj vne4diet a rating,, Parliament. LABOUR 31OTION ON CHINA. FOREIGN SECRETARY'S STATEMENT. COMIMONS TRIBUTE TO LATE EMPEROR OF JAPAN. HOCUSE OF COMMONS.