To the Editor of the "Nonru-Cutwa Dam News."
Sin,—Is Shanghai the most sinfal city on earth? Are more iniquities performed here under cover of darkness than, let us say, in Moscow, Bagdad, Constantinople, Cairo or Calcutta? Mr. Ketchun replies to his own query: I think so, In his comparison Mr. Ketchun ig at least cosmopolitan, embracing as he docs Russia, Mesopotamia, Turkey, Egypt, India. Why leave Paris, Monte Carl others. As you rightly pointed out in your leader "Shanghai by Night" "Mr, Ketchun's article full of inaccuracies, and it ig parent that this gentleman is gift-Jed with such a high imagination that his time would be better employed in writing a new version of the "Arabian Nights." In such a work I feel sure he could do greater Justice to the bearded libertines of Georgia, the golden haired Tartar beauties, and the black eyed coquettes from the Caveasus whom he met in such numbers when with us in Shanghai. How green he must
all in. have appeared to them to take it Hig. carelessness with the "O's"
certainly Hundreds England in the early part of this sar, one day in London, 1 noticed Daily Express" placards all over the shop stating that 1,500,000 troops were advancing to the relief of Shanghai, 1 rubbed my eyes but the "O's" were there. I bought:
copy of the paper and true enough the "O'e" were still there. I read on and found that they were advancing in three columns each '500,000 strong one column having already crossed the Yantze. This wonderfal army only existed in the imagination of Mr. Ketchun who had wired the news on and it was published under his name—C. J. Ketehun, our Special Correspondent, ete, ete. ete.
One understands, of course, that Mr. Ketchun must have had a wonderful time when in Shanghai well as other distinguished special correspondents who cam out, one of whom wired home "Shanghai Jazzes Whilst Chapel Burns." and this duly appeared in the columns of one of England's biggest and largest papers.
Whilst you rightly deny such an article us appeared Unfortunately there is just that soupcon of trath in his statements that provides sensati newsmongers with the they are after to feed the avi lof the average reader at home. Sensation is what they want, with touch of piquancy added, and now that divorce proceedings are no longer permitted to be published in estenso, their reporters must find Something and in this ease Shanghai, being at a safe distance, pro-To-morrow it next day the Solomon Islands and 0 on.
"To the stranger within our gates it must appear in the nature of an anomaly which cannot be explained that roulette flourishes, apparently protected and immune." This must bbe so, as we all know that The Wheel is open all night long, every right of the week. "And yet it is egal. Houses of ill fame abound everywhere although, thanks to the Moral Welfare League, thes were all supposed to be closed up years ago. The army. authorities could easily furnish a complete.list of! them all, as they have them nicely' scheduled. Our cabarets are a dis-_ grace to a town of such importance Shanghai—semi-nude dancers pandering to the taste of the post war younger generation. other city in the world are they allowed to keep such late hours.
1f Shangh: its to, be thought, more of it is up to the Municipal, authorities to be far stricter with the licensing regulations. If restricted hours are necessary in England how much more so are they necessary in Shanghai? Gaming should be restricted as much possible and a firm stand taken' against greyhound racing which is shortly to be foisted thousand shattered Dreams", Sixty-ight days racing is the racing programme for next -year—hard to beat anywhere—what'. Yes Sir! there is that soupgon of truth in Mr. Ketchun's indictment, and it is up to us all to fight it down and make of Shanghai a real honest to goodness town.
Times are changing, business is bad and the spending money is going fast. "Feeling The Pinch" expressed his views pretty clearly to you recently, all this ill spent, money on cabarets, The Wheel, racing, and in divers other ways, comes out of the pocket of someone and indirectly puts up the cost of living. 'Then we have our movie money besides—this is a necessity' nowadays—but can we honestly blame our Chinese employees from going on strike wi see foreigners from every station life spending more money in a few!
ies. than they earn in a mont it, We must change our way the sooner the better and so mu years ago Shanghai used to be Known as the Clerks' Eldorado, judging from the standard of livig our youngsters of to-day are setting it is rapidly becoming more so than ever.
We must get hold of the idea that we are here in Shanghai for good; it is our home and we must put it more on the basis, of a home town, There ig no doubt! that the luxuries we have been used. to in the past will gradually have to go and we will have to come in line with other big cities.
There is only one way to do this and that ig to economize in every way, at there is no better time to make beginning than the present—the end of a year of discord and trouble and the beginning of which looks far from being a bright. one.
'Let the authorities take a firm stand against the night life of this town and preach economy to our' citizens from every point of view. If this is done perhaps when Mr, Ketchun visits us again he will find the town so changed that he will be able quite truthfully to call] our Shanghai "Tue Crty oF A THousann"
Shangha Dee. 14, 1927.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.