To the Editor of the "NORTH-Emma Dairy News."
Sm—In your my opinion public with a few Iptrases, without, apparent! any Iknowledge of the facts _govern-jing the situation in Hankow, and I now write to place the views of a large minority before you and your readers, not, as might red from your remarks, a few unimportant individuals.
The Race Dud at Hankow oceupies, as many know, a unique pos tion' in the port. Races are" but jo small part of the Club's attractions which consist of several thousand mow of land devoted gulf (two courses), riding, polo, football, cricket, hockey, - tennis, [baseball, and kindred sports. There alco alarge dance hall wherein daily tea dances are held, with a swim:
ug bath for the summer months, into this comparative Garden jof Eden that some misguided per-tons are seeking to Introduce the serpent of German discord. alk of sentiment apart, ft is bus ness and. business only which the back of it all, though as considerable business is already transacted quite successfully with-Jout the social me im of the Club is hard to see what further ial ends would be served Nby readmitting our enemies, Those who wish to meet the Gen odally can quite well do so at thulr own homes. The argument that we as a private Club should {follow and be bound by the acts Jand example of our Governments pure rubbish, and displays to my: mind a weakness of intellect, However, the following cogent reasons may perhaps appeal those who are undecided on the incon to face the same ques-matter und, as you assert, who may
tion in Shanghai for themselves, The Germans did not, as 00 as peace was signed in Burope, at Jonce offer to pay their debts, here anywhere else, nor are" they doing so now. The amounts left owing by them to the Race Club when their membership was terminated ure still owing, and re-Payment is understood to be by results. If they are permitted to 8 foi the debts will be paid, but otherwise, and those debts are for value already received; itis money due to the Club, The re. tention by them of the Shanghai Rowing Club, I think it was, trophies may pertinently be remem-lucred at this juncture. History out hhere is merely an echo of events at home, for ever since the Peace Treaty was signed it has—been tething but one long story evasion and denial, no honest deavour having been made to remedy the wrong originally com-fed. The forces of the Allies still in Ger as a penalty for secret arming, and will probably. remain there for some considerable No other Club as far ax 1 know has yet proposed a similar Resoition, nor is likely to meet with much success if it did. What might be termed the exception is, 1 have been. informed, the Newehwans Club where the Germans retained their membership the whole course ov the war, the hardy northern skin being insensible, I presume, to such trifles as the si the "Lusi-
reaudmittance here is that thes favour of helped to found.this Club. Th, jon with all foreigners out sre, assisted in the foundation of 4 good many others. By them selves they founded the magnificent German Club on the Shanghai Bund: it is now a Chinese bank, Their own Club in Hankow has a constitutional Article r to the tone which it is now sought to amend at the Race Club, and no change has ax yet been effected therein.
As regards the defence of the Concessions in time of trouble which ix an argument beloved of many fof their sympathisers, there are two very pertinent points—which may be borne in mind. Firstly, military ce-operation with the Germans would be useless as the 'Chinese authorities will not permit. them to arm a volunteer defence force. Secondly, many of those supporting the Resolution are not even members of their' own vole lunteer unit, and before they com-Jmence to seek allies elsewhere' they might reasonably be expected to [place themselves in an unassailable vis @ vis their own nation I, and, I think, the majority of [those in' the opposition, have bitter feelings against the Germans. We do not hate them as the term ig usually interpreted: we recognize that some day all will be forgiven jand forgotten in the face perhaps Jof- a peril threatening from a new Jdirection, but we do feel that on ithe whole the efatne quo is a re-Jasonably happy situation and solution. Our social life has more bearing on our physical well-being than jis perhaps realized, and to introduce into it gratuitously necessarily discordant element is not for our ultimate benefit, Neither Ido we believe that the curtain has fallen, for ood on the 20th century Tragedy of Europe. first act only fas been played and most of us put here will probably see it rise upon the second. Let us, therefore, aim at a national solidarity, and leave others 10 do the same, Enclosing my card, Lam, ete, SENSE NoT SeNtianNT, Fiankow, March 18, 1925,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.