To the Editor of the "Neata-Coina Dairy News."
Sir,—With reference to Dr. C. T. Wang's address delivered before the Civie League on March 29, and published in your paper the next day, Mr. Agonistes took exception thereto on several points, but in a hasty way. I wish to make the following observations.
That the municipal system in Shanghai had its very humble origin in 1945, is of course a wel known fact. But Dr. Wang evidently purposed to mention the municipal council composed of nine English and American merchants as making its significant beginning which had direct bearings on the present system and on the question under consideration. For; otherwise, it would be not only inaccurate but absurd to assume that. after the opening of Shanghai to foreign trade and_ before the formation of the municipal council composed of nine English and American merchants, the Settlement was left for a number of years without a municipal government of Chinese Government as_ territorial sovereign and the principle of re presentation in the municipal council, I understand that Dr. Wang based his statements on "The International Relations of the Chinese Empire" (vol. LI eh. vi, sec. 9 to 14 inclusive, espec: ally the last section). This book was written by Dr. H. B. Morse, a recognized authority on the subject, and he collected materials principally from official documents, such as the British Parliamentary Papers and th: United States Foreign Relations.
Since Mr. Agonistes has undertaken to challenge an authori and virtually distrust official documents, we hope to sce that he will write a better history.
I am, ete., K. Kvo.
Shanghai, April 2.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.