Apr. 21.
Ar the beginning of the present week M. Wilden called a meeting of resident Frenchmen and impressed upon them the need for a volunteer defence force for the French Concession. The Consul-General had a first-rate text to preach from—the unsettled condition of China and the possibility which no thinking man an ignore of this discontented and lawless spirit taking tangible shape in our midst. In tha event of trouble threatening the French Concession M. Wilden had no doubt that assistance would be forthcoming from the Shanghai Volunteer Corps, if desired, but very properly he objected strongly to be in the Position of having to ask for that and be unable to show that in the matter of Volunteers the Concession had tried to do anything for its own protection. So he emphasized the need of a French Volunteer Corps and called for names of those prepared to serve in it. Immediate ly a number volunteered and in the time which has since elapsed others have come forward, including a few of other nationalities, Belgian for instance, who speaking a common language desire to associate themselves with the movement. It being felt that other foreigners resident in the Concession, British and American for instance, are already to a good extent in companies of the Corps on this side of the boundary and are likely to be of more practical use when working in units of their own nationality than otherwise, it is not proposed to include them in the French force—evidence of the spirit of ce-operation between the two Municipalities.
While there has been this response to the Consul-General's appeal, we understand that it is not as full as it might be, and it may be concluded that. the French Concession is encountering the same sort of difficulty which other Volunteer forces in the Far East have tried to overcome. The first part of this difficulty is brought about by the attitude of the incurable egotist who announces that he will always be ready to do his bit when trouble arrives but is not prepared to undergo the training of peace time. He is perfectly sincere in his belief that he will be a useful factor at the moment of crisis, for he is a Pharisee of the Pharisees, being not'as other men who do need training. The whole idea is a rank delusion, for unless a superman, he is not only useless when the time comes but a source of grief to his superiors and a possible cause of disaster. The other part of the difficulty to be overcome is the so-called war weariness of the ex-service man. In the case of the French Concession it is anticipated that the greater proportion of—those forming the Corps at this juncture will be men who have not only seen war service but have probably also been with the colours for two or three years at some previous period. They are undoubtedly trained men, and it is perhaps natural that they should feel that further training is very largely unnecessary, besides being possibly tedious. Yet if these men will but draw upon their own fund of experience they will quickly realize that unless they know their places in the organization of the defence force and the definite role they are to play, the full measure of their usefulness will not be secured. Their annual training need neither be long nor arduous, but bearing in mind that the Concession hopes to equip its defence force with the most modern of weapons they must familiarize themselves with their use, and to put the matter in colloquial terms, keep their hand in.
Notwithstanding merous and efficient polic 2, the defences of the Fi Joncession cannot be coi © complete without a Vi force. \is far as we are ed in the International S at we see the Cancer i.ion flank—a long flank t we should certainly like to feel that it is properly guarded, for only then will effect be given to the primary military principles of mutual support and protection. These are essential for us here, and afford us another very strong ground for supporting the scheme for this defence force. The suggested equipment of the corps also gives a sense of confidence in its early efficiency. It is proposed to secure the latest pattern of French rifle, more after the style of our own short rifle than the weapon previously in use in the French Army, and then a large complement of machine guns enters into the scheme. More interesting than these, however, is the contemplated provision of armoured cars, an arm whose mobility will be extraordinarily useful along the extended southern boundary of the Concession. It all suggests a very attractive programme of training, not only for the raw recruit but equally for the veteran renewing his acquaintance with martial exercises and devices. Meanwhile the French Municipal Council is preparing a circular giving a more detailed account of what it hopes for and expects from the potential volunteers than was possible for the Consul-General to state at the meeting, and we may hope that it will result in an immediate acquisition of numbers to the proposed corps.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.