Mar. 8.
Following on the two article recently published, we print today a full account of the records of crime in the International Settlement during the month of February. There is nothing here to give hope of the situation becoming less serious than it has for so long been. Although there were fewer armed robberies than in January, or in February, 1927, itis felt that the robbers are becoming steadily bolder and more careless of capture. The, writer of to-day's article says well that it is impossible for the public to realize the work that the police are doing. To us it has aly seemed extraordinary that they fare able to recover so much stolen property as they do—more than a quarter of the total loot, 1927—remembering that, apart "from four or five trunk streets, Shanghai is a maze of rookeries in which the average resident would lose himself completely within a few yards of a main artery. The courage and determination that the police continually show in their contest with villains who appai ently would rather do murder than not, cannot be too highly praised. In this the Chinese branch are equally to be includ~ ed with others. Often the public has a glimpse of what the Chinese constables are doing: but one and all are most highly spoken of by those in touch with them. Of the police force of Shanghai any city in the world might be proud.
Special attention needs te be given to the kidnapping which forms the most lucrative branch of the armed robber epidemic In the view of not a few Eh nese, kidnapping begins threaten Shanghai's prosperity even than politics. The suspicion deepens that the kidnappers, those who do the actual carrying off of the tims, are but the agents of a hi organization which keeps well in the background, There is little doubt that many more people are kidnapped than ever comes to the knowledge of the police; and it is no exaggeration to say that ransoms occasionally run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Where does all this money go? A common criminal making such hauls must sooner or later attract notice to himself, however much he tried to cover up his tracks. Again, how did the robbers, who carried off '$91,000 worth of gold bars and silver bullion from the Dah Tung Transport Ca. last week, know that the treasure was there and dispose of their plunder? These are questions that might well be taken up with the Nanking Government.
Renewed efforts, all that can be exerted, are needed to induce Nanking to amend that loose phrase in the Bandit Law under which a group, of armed robbers are apparently only amenable to the full penalty of the law if they go about, figuratively, with a brass band and collect everybody in the street to witness their doings. The Provisional Court have done all they cai it was an excellent move week to cause a condemned robber to make a public ride through the streets to his execution. But while the Bandit Law remains in its present weak condition, this deterrent will be far too seldom available. The point of supreme importance, however, is the introduction of the penalty of the "eat." other remedy has ever proved so [Yitective for crimes of the kind from which Shanghai is now suffering. Death the armed robber dreads but little. Imprisonment, not at all. The "eat" he fears indeed gnd will refrain from crime sooner than risk it.
If the Nationalist Government are apprehensive that to permit the use of the "cat" would weak. en, their case for the abolition of' extraterritoriality, it need only be replied that this is the gal penalty now in England for white slave" crimes and that it is also employed in Singapore, Hongkong, and Australia.
Let it only be applied for a liminary, experimental period, say, of six months, with a pro-visa for its discontinuance ther if its-efficacy be any longer in question. There is no doubt whatever of the result.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.