To the Editor of the "Nonta-Carxa Darcy News."
Sir,—The time has arrived when the Police or proper authorities must have Klaxton or electric motor horns removed from all motor-driven vehicles.
At the moment Shanghai must be the noisiest city in the world. In Peking Road where my office is situated there is one constant babble of deafening toots from motor-cars. Chauffeurs cheerfully toot from Szechuen Road to the Bund. I cannot hear on the telephone (even if the operator fee's disposed to answer my call.) Let the police insist on lower speeds and less tooting or the future prosperity of Shanghai is in jeopardy. The present smallness of export trade is mainly attributable to the noise made by motor horns, as merchants cannot now hear offers made to them by Chinese sellers; in like manner importers cannot hear what exchange is. Let the Police act and act quickly.
I have myself driven for years using the old-fashioned rubber bulbed horn, which it is seldom necessary to use; insist on their universal use and the noise pro blem will be removed. Then buy tubber shares!
If driven by my chauffeur and he indulges in unnecessary use of said horn, he receives a kick on the left shoulder, not of any violence, but to remind him of the futility of tooting needlessly. and if other owners and/or riders in motor cars would try this on their chauffeurs we should soon have quieter times.
I am, ete., Shanghai, July 9
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.