The Canton Incident of June 23rd, The Truth/APPENDIX W.

(Extract from The Hongkong Telegraph dated 30th June, 1925.)

Considerable discussion was caused yesterday by the reproduction in the Telegraph of a letter appearing in the Canton Gazette and alleged to be signed by "German Merchants" residing in Tungshan, purporting to be an expression of sympathy with the Chinese for the "merciless killing and wounding" at Shameen last Tuesday. It was on the face of it a rather remarkable document to be really genuine, and no one, we are sure, will be surprised to learn that it is widely believed that the letter was an absolute fake. At any rate, it is repudiated not only by Germans residing in Hongkong, but also by many who were at Tungshan and have since come to this Colony.

A representative of the Telegraph who called on the German Consul-General for Hongkong, this morning, was informed that efforts are being made to establish the authorship of the document. The Consul said that he learned yesterday that there was some form of letter relating to the alleged German attitude towards the Shameen affair, and not having seen a copy of it he called on Mr. A. G. M. Fletcher to enquire whether the local Government had any news of the document in question. He was informed that no such document had been received, and, in any case, not much importance would be attached to it. Later, when the Consul read the reproduced letter in the Telegraph, which constituted his first knowledge of its actual contents, he immediately wired to his colleague, the German Consul at Canton, asking that an enquiry be made as to the authors of the document. A reply is still awaited.

The Consul expressed his disbelief in the genuineness of the letter. He said that all the Germans here, including the leading merchants of the community who have come down from Canton, are very sorry that the letter has appeared, and some of them are even very angry and express their feelings in no uncertain terms. Referring to a comment in to-day's Morning Post, the Consul read out the opinion that the letter bore the Moscow trade mark, and told our representative that he thought it a very apt description.

Asked whether any Germans were actual eye-witnesses of the Shameen shooting, the Consul said that, so far as he knew, none of them were, as they were residing at Tungshan and had been asked to keep to their homes when the possibility of trouble arose. However, in view of the substantial evidence already published as to the affair, they had no doubt as to the true facts.

"Cum Grano Salis."

We have received the following letter for publication.-

Sir, -Some Tungshan German merchants "received several reports," etc., etc. I have been in China for a quarter of a century and should strongly advise those merchants, to trent such information, which most probably was only given by Chinese, cum grano salis. Also, to exercise their mental faculties somewhat above the all-round office-standard.

Was there no other road for the demonstrators to walk but around half of Shameen, and secondly, what business have demonstrators to carry arms and ammunition during such a procession?, There is no getting away from the fact that these two points were intended to provoke the Shameen residents.

If those merchants had witnessed some of the horrors during the Boxer rising, they would know what the victims of a fanatical Chinese mob would have to expect, and the guns and Mausers in the hands of Chinese low class and un--ripe youngsters are apt to go off only too easily.

Probably the Tungshan German merchants are not aware that they not only encourage further anti--European feeling and thus have e to bear their share of responsi-bility, but they are also ridiculed by the great majority of peace-loving and sensiblo Chinese, who know that the departure of China from the Confucian system and the propaganda of the Bolshevista, combined with the "blessings" of republican business wars of money-brained militarists, are the origin of what disaster will finally befall China, especially when such encouraging Mephistophistic sym-pathy is tendered to those mental-ly uneducated masses of Chinese coolies and school children.

But, of course, it helps to get some more deliveries of goods, more orders, and is a quid pro quo for the protective armlet. Perhaps, also, unearthly fear for their own safety in Tungshan made the merchants write this rash letter which would never have been written during the monarchical Germany. I feel sure, however, that these merchants would have been given every protection on Shameen had it been necessary.

Enclosing my card. -Yours etc.,

OLD GERMAN RESIDENT. Hongkong, June 30th, 1925.

Sir,-In your yesterday's issue. I read a copy of a letter signed German Merchants in Tungshan. My opinion is that my compatriots should not mix into matters which solely concern the British, French and Chinese authorities.

Either these merchants have received only Chinese reports, or Chey intend to sneak themselves Into the favour of the Chinese. If Matter is the case, they are not to be scorned but to be pitied. They do not seem to realise that the whole movement is anti-foreign worked up by Russian Bolsheviks. If they realise this movement, it seems a shame to me that these merchants have not enough pride to say, "I am a foreigner, so I have to stand with the rest of them.

Many of my Chinese friends and I as well are sorry that the Shameen machine-guns made no better clean-up amongst the so-called soldiers who are nothing but former bandits. If a few schoolboys," so-called students, were also killed it is their own fault. Children should not mix in politics; they should first, put their noses into the books and learn enough to understand politics. Yours etc.,

GERMAN ANTI-BOLSHEVIK

Hongkong, June 30th, 1925.