Oct. 20.
Lerrers received from Chinese readers during the past three ¢ays prompt us to ask our readers' patience for a few remarks on a rather well worn question. At least, however, we are able to approach it now from a more agreeable point of view than sometimes Yesterday one Chinese sent us a very cordial appreciation of the work done by the Municipal Council during, the weeks of war round Shanghai. The Counc ed to bouquets—least of all might we say, from Chinese?—and K. C. K's tribute was as welcome it was indeed deserved. There is no question but that the Council rose to a most critical emergency with tact and success. As K. C. K. says, its work for the refugees alone was timely, unostentatious and most successful. It was extraordinary how with little apparent effort Shanghai accommodate the thousands who flocked here for shelter; and this was largely due to the Council's assistance. Almost daily, the most delicate questions had decided, involving the defence of Shanghai, its position between the combatants, the preservation of its interests on the one hand, its neutrality on the other. And we believe it safe to say that these were negotiated in a spirit of fairness which both parties freely acknowledge. The full tale of those weeks cannot be written because those concerned will not speak. But it is pleasant to feel and to have recorded as.done by K. C. K., that the results were understood end appreciated.
The other letter is commented! who we are sure is not the only, one to have been impressed by its spirit. Broadly speaking, it dwelt once more on the supreme importance of little things' in every-day dealings with the Chinese. The man who kicks, the woman whq with her umbrella prods, a riesha coolie, are enemies to the whole body. of foreigners in China, Conversely, if we are but ordinarily, courteous, we may go farther, with greater freedom and secur ity in China than in any country in the world, As our correspondent to-day puts it: "A foreigner who is ignorant of the language but full of goodwill, has only, the smallest actions, looks and gestures possible to him." Yes, but it is just those small actions and looks which count, Claseconsciousness in the West has its counterpart in the East in national-consciousness. The Chinese are equally swift to appreciate and to resent, not as individuals inwardly" enraged though outwardly submissive; but as a people ready and able to express what they feel. There is, however, certainly no need to grovel. If the Chinese resents rudeness he is not less contemptuous of the foreigner who "sucks up." The late Brigadier General Pereira tramped unattended all over China, in districts infested by brigands, The secret was that he both gave and expected courtesy. Which indeed is the whole essence of manners. We are told that the code of Chinese etiquette is so elaborate that no foreigner can help offending against it. But every Chinese from scholar to coolie knows with—unerring instinct whether the foreigner is observing his own country's code, and judges him accordingly, One good result we believe may be marked up to the credit of the civil war—that it has brought about in both Chinese and foreigners a better understanding of each other's position, Tt began badly. Il-judged remarks on the one side brought from the other an angry cry of "hands off, no profiting by China's misfortunes." But the war went on a better spirit began to be visible. It became evident that all the best opinion in the foreign community was sincerely desirous of remaining strictly neutral, of not going an inch beyond what was necessary for the protection of legitimate interests. And in some curious way, through that indefinable sympathy by which what we really feel gets outside ourselves and affects those about us, it was also perceived that this neutrality was not merely aloofness, but was inspired by a sincere desire that the best for China should prevail and that the war should be allowed full scope if haply it might to bring the best to the top. Chinese and for were, moreover, drawn together in adversity, If, as may truly be claimed, the Council discharged its' heavy task well, it would be the first to admit,' we are sure, that the Chinese community were readily responsive, accepted every ordinance cheerfully as for the common good and ce-operated to the best of their power.
War has, at least temporarily moved away. from Shanghai, But the war oittlook so far from being lightened is darker than ever. Instead of one fairly clear-cut issue, there are now we cannot tell how many. Yet paradoxically, the very darkness of it all is the best cause of hopefulness. Tt forces men to think, to realize that, after all, 'a system is nothing, that what counts is the character of the men who administrate it, Good government means good men and if they are lacking, a democratic institution is as bad as a tyranny,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.