Suitability of the Word to the Local Movement Anriton px C, Sowmmey In the discussion which has arisen lover the formation of the Shanghai Fascisti, one often hears the question asked What is the meaning' lof Fascisti? One also hears a'l kinds of explanations, some of which. approach the truth, "but most. [which are as far-fetched and full of nonsense as a poll-parrot, As a matter of fact, the word has! Jan extremely simple meaning. It is, derived from the Latin word fasces which was the old Roman symbol of thority, law and order, and cor sisted of a bundle of elm rods with an axe in the middle, the head of the axe sticking out beyond the rods, Every-Dody is familiar with, this object which used to be carried through the streets of Rome by the Lictors in front of the magistrates and consuls Jas a sign of their authority.
Fascisti may therefore be said to contain a double significance, namely, (1) the preservation of Law and Jorder, and (2) the binding together lof a group of people for their mutual good and common strength. We must not forget the old fable of the father who taught his quarrelling sons a lesson by first asking them to try to break a bundle of sticks tied together and then to untie the bundle and break the sticks separate ly. Just so the citizens of Shhngcomprising as they do, men ferent nationalities and of widely varying interests, but bound to. gether by a common danger, Unit-Jed we stand: divided we fall, What better name could there be for the movement which hay been forted in Shanghai to weld the citi. zens together to fight a common dat wer and to see that order is pre-peg wot ey web Ibe taken to include the treaties nin-Jder which Shanghai has its charter—ferried, out than the word Fascist, There are those who feel that the word has too definite a connection with the big Italian political movement, to be used locally. They feel that it may associate them in the joyes of the world with a movement with which they are, perhaps, not in sympathy, and do not want to join, Appreciating such feelings, I have thought out a few alternative names, none of which, however, really fil the bill, However, here they are:
The Shanghai Unity League The Solidarity of Shanghai League (8.0.8, League)
The Unity League of Shanghai The Shanghai League (S.L.)
The Shanghai Comity League The Shanghai Unionists (8.U.)
The Shanghai Federation League (S.F.L.)
The Shanghai Federation (S.F.)
The Shanghai Protection League (SPI)
None of these appeal to the writer jas better than "The $1 and, excepting tumbling block for some [who might otherwise join the mo Iment, sce no reason for a change.
After all, the thing that really matters, is that something must be [done to got the Shanghai community four of the mess into which it has been plunged by the civil wars and internal eruptions of China, and to avert worse-calamity which momen. tarily threatens to carry this great city down in a welter of ruin, and that something can only be done by '8 united effort on the part of the whole community. Reniémber, "United we stand: divided we fall"
Paselsti,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.