Wr. wrote strongly a of the iniquities of the military press gran, which was then terrorizing the districts round Shanghai. Tt is therefore the more incumbent upon us now to call attention to the many evidences that the Chekiang and Kisngsu commanders are doing their utmost to conduct the war! als humanely as possible. It has been asserted more than once by hot it sides that coolies impressed for transport work are being paid. From general appearances this #eems quite likely to be true At the Fear the} has largely died One corres ported, ten days ayo. that how in Quinsan had been looted, notwithstanding that one imagine that the presence of such visitors is often most unwelcome. No doubt there have been instances of ill behaviour by the soldiers towards the people among whom they pass. Such are inevitable in war time. But at the beginning of hostilities both Marshal Chi and Marshal Lu announced with—great earnestness that they would do theft best to conduct the war with, the least possible inconvenience both to their fellow countrymen and to foreigners; and it is but fair to recognize the pains that have been taken by their subordinates on both sides to make their promises good.
Such conduct, however, welcome as it is, naturally tends to make the already complicated path of neutrality still more difficult. To vary the words of an old song, Shanghai might almost say "How happy could be with either If Vother were rather less nice." In order to be perfectly neutral, it is of great importance to know whether we are to regard the present commotion as a war or a rebellion. The insurance companies have had no difficulty in deciding that it is war, and the ordinary person is not likely
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.