News of the Week
r MiE prospect of a settlement in China is not nearly so good when we write as it was at the beginning of the week. Mr. Chen, the Cantonese Foreign Minister, has post- poned signing the agreement in regard to the Hankow and Kiukiang Concessions which he and Mr. O'Malley had drafted, on the ground that he cannot sign when British armed forces are about to land at Shanghai. This, as was to be expected, has been taken by Mr. Ramsay MacDonald and those who opposed the sending of any troops to Shanghai as a justification of their arguments. The ambiguity of Mr. MacDonald's • speeches has been Injurious to-the Government's policy. He uses as arguments situations_ which he helps to create. It is deplorable that at so critical a moment the Labour Party should not. speak with one voice. When Mr. Chen last week consented to open negotiations with Mr. O'Malley he already knew that the British -Government were sending troops to Shanghai. He not only knew it, but he knew the -exart--composition- of -the. force. He appeared at least to understand that the trOops Were sent as a . _ . precaution--Lsoleljr to prevent British nationals at Shanghai .,froM being exposed to a repetition of the Hankow -mob -violence. •
