To the Editor of the "NontH-Cuina Datty News"
Sit,—A week ago, ip reply to correspondence in your columns advocating stronger measures Shanghai against strikers and others, you published an editors on "Repression versus Conciliation. In it the withdrawal of emergency measures was advocated, it was said there were signs that the strike was about to collapse, and the pious hope was printed that the Chinese would readily respond to conciliation.
It is admittedly easy to criticise, especially prophets; but there is reason to do so because it is more than probable that such sentiments fas. the above, expressed in a foreign newspaper, do much to strengthen the hands and. inspire the courage of the strike leaders and agitators, and even more cause such men as the vice-presi dent of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to come out flat-footed for strike and boycott, when before they wavered between two 0 There is one characteristic. that every foreign student of the Chinese character has commented upon The Chinaman is ever'and always on the side of the strong: he never sides with the weak. He is, ace cording to his idea, on the side of the strong now, and it still remains to be seen whether he is right or not.
Gold water has been thrown on many suggestions that have been made here of a retaliatory nature—fa deterrent nature if you like it better. 'The consequence is that worker, agitator and. striker are equally' welcome in our midst, as far as essentials go.° They use our Tight, gas, other public' utilities with equal ease. The members of this Chinese Chamber whose utterances we frequently read in your columns can say what they like about us, injure tus, boycott us and what not. Let us conciliate rather than repress them then! The Shun Pao and Sin! Wan Pao publish matter that foreign newspapers would never dare do, and there are a host of smaller fry who are only concerned in insulting the foreigner and intimidating his employees.
Hongkong's strike began after ours and was more severe at the beginning. It is, however, nearer its. end beeauss the Hongkong authorities have acted. They offer a reward of $1,000 for the apprehension of any intimidator or agitator; when convicted he is not fined or cautioned: he is placed at public sanitary work (the collection of night-soil to be exact), is clothed in conviev's garb and' works in the public streets; or he may be flogged. To carry on waterfront work Malays are being imported and are working well. But the regulation that has had more effect than any other is one that requires the expulsion of every striker from the Colony. A Chinese to live in Hongkong has to work; in Shanghai he can do as he pleases. The effect of this places every worker Hongkong of Chinese nationality in a dilemma, He has the option of relinquishing the advantages of life in a foreign settlement, with all its amenities, and not least its protection to his life and property, for life in Canton or some other Chinese city.
Your previous correspondent suggested several schemes for bringing the strike home to those who are responsible for it. Here are others that have been tried out and ngt found wanting, for in. Hong many of the strikers, the printers among them, have returned to work and are trying to forget.
Is it too much to ask our Council to take a leaf out of Hongkong's book?
Tam, 'A Starken's Susstrrute.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.