To the Editor of the "Norta-Criya Dairy News."
Sm,—With reference to the many complaints of H. C. L. it is a my-story to me why recent British Anti-Profiteering Acts are not made applicable to Shanghai. Tam quite aware that before a British Act of Parliament can be wade effective here, an Order in Council must be promulgated; a_ simple matter nevertheless. I have a brother-in-law, a dull but hearty fellow according to his lights. He is the managing director of a large wholesale firm of sorts. In 1918 a retail dealer in his particular line of business was charged with selling some commodity at farthing a Ib. or something of that sort over the laid-down price. The retailer blame ed the firm nominally presided over by my old relative-nymarriage and the old lad was duly hailed before the local beak on a charge of profiteering. He replied to the charge to the effect that he was only a director of the concern..and that he didn't know the first thing about prices. From my personal knowledge of the old boy, he knows very little about anything—but that is neither here nor there.
However, the long and short of it was that he was fined 10 Bradburys of the best as being the nominally responsible party. The sequel was that certain champions of right in the county decided that my relative was no fit person to sit on the county commission of the peace.
My brother-in-law, in that he rather fancied the initials J. P. after his name, interviewed the Lord Chancellor, who took the view that Crsar's wife etc., etc.. and advised him to resign, which he duly did. He is a golfer of some local repute and now plays six days a week intood of five, and tells me that every cloud has its silver lining.
Now, Sir, the moral of this tale of provincial turpitude is this: If my slothful but as far as I know reasonably honest relative-by-marriage could be fined and deprived of initials for a purely technical offence, why should not the necessary Order in Council be promulgated and our local millionaires shorn of their undeserved increment?
I am, etc., Reatep TO ONE oF Tuose.
Shanghai, Jan. 13.
P. S. As I-reside in the Club, I have no personal axe to grind—merely love of my fellow man, believe me! At the same time, if this epistle leads to a general reduction of rentals all round, I may yet acquire that Tls. 60 per mensem dwelling in the Bubbling Well district which my soul covets.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.