Sir Austen Chamberlain's Acid Test for Dealing With the Nationalists London, Mar. 23.
Replying tions in the House of today, Sir Austen the Farcisa tailed the ey at action of the warships alone saved the lives of British and American citizens, Mr, Ernest Thurtle (Labour) drew attention to the statement by Gen-feral Chiang Kai-shek that the looting and other outrages had been committed by Northern troops.
Sir Austen (Chamberlain. replied that information from British and American sources was contrary to this.
Replying to Mr. H, W. Looker} (Conservative), the Foreign Seeretary said that in the anarchical conditions prevailing at present in many Tarts of China, it was impossible to say that Britain could safely rely en Chinese guarantees of safety for British subjects. "We must watch what happens and judge not acconling to professions made but by performances," he declared, Replying to Commander Ken-(Labour), Sir Austen Cham-that the question evacuating the remaining Britons from other ports in the Yangtze was being considered. He did not think {HM it desirable that he should issue in- that when one was dealing with Vargen International Newsreet structions from London: it must be decided nearer the spot Britain's Liberal Dealing to a suggestion from Sir mut Kinlock-Cooke (Conservative). that the Hankow Agreement had had no beneficial results but rather the contrary and tha: the position of British resiuirts at Hankow had becom untenable. Sir Austen Chamberlain, the Foreign Secretary, expressed the opinion that Sir Cleblent's judgment was premature, Personally, the Foreign Secretary said, he would not at present pro-source x final judgment on the re-nits of the Hankow Agreement "Obviously that agreement was sign-good faith on our side _and issued, as we believe, in good faith 'y Mr. Chen, and must be judged by the results it produces."
Foreign Secretary said that Britain had dealt in a very liberal and, he might even say, in a most confiding spirit with her own property in the British Concession at Hankow; and she must be assured that the conditions are such that the Chinese authority established could reserve order, whenever that authority was extended, before she made any further surrender of Bri-righ interests and property.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.