To the Editor of the "Norru-Cuuwa Dany News"
SmI have read the replies of! Aworutr Batroy and Mr, Kao Kwor to my original letter of April 8. but must confess they leave me Axonimn © Burox appears _to imply that there has been a complete and sincere change of heart towards Great Britain on the part of Mr. Sun Fo and other prominent Chinese leaders since 'August, 1926, but the actual course of history hardly seems to bear out' this contention. What about the Nationalists' attitude vis-a-vis Britain at Hankow and Nanking in 1927, and what would have been the chances for foreigners here in Shanghai shortly afterwards in the same year, had it not been for the timely arrival of the strong Defence Forces extraterritorial rights abolished "and would most probably have succeed had it not been for a fortunal change of government' at' home, coupled with Japanese insistence on the strict maintenance of their country's treaty rights in China, Can Axorum Burow carry his me-mary back to as recently as the spring of 1932, when once mote Britain was compelled to send strong, reinforcements to Shanghai for the Purpose of safeguarding her interests, here? "Again, supposing that last year Chinese' Government troops had succeeded in driving the Japanese Mayet Landing Pary.out of Hongieaw and Yangtszepoo—which they nearly jaccomplished—is it probable that the then existing status of foreign powers in the portion of the International Settlement north of the Soochow Creek could have been maintained inviolate? Is it not the case that, the Chinese Government "has all along been actuated by a keen desire to recover complete—control the whole of the International Settlement?
'While it has latterly, been couraging to sce China's relatibnships with Britain placed on a more satisfactory footing' than was the case before: the qui break of Sino-Japanese hostilities, can it honestly be believed that if China were to ie. regain control of the territory formerly known as "Greater Shanghai" we should not witness a resumption of measures designed further to undermine the rights of Treaty Powers? Also, will Mr. Ko) Kwor kindly state what are the ultimate aims of the Chinese Government as regards obtaining the retrocession of Hongkong and the Leased 'Territory on the mainland? The lease has now run, two-fifths of its rency and, as Sir Cecil Clementi has made' clear in his article in. "The National Review," from. which T quoted in my first letter, the uncertainty regarding—the status of this territory afler the lease expires in 1998, is already exercising 'a deleterious effect on the industrial Gevelopments which would now be faking place there, which is a decid~ edly unsatisfactory state of affairs.
It is sincerely to be hoped that the British Government will see to it that in return for whatever assistance may be accorded to China, the latter will give the fullest. surance that British trading interests will be adequately and permanently safeguarded in the event of China emerging successfully from her pres ent trials.
Batrox, Shanghai, Apr. 13.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.