Frost Qua Own San Francisco, Aug. 15
I have often referred in this column to the fact that Shanghai and San Francisco have a great deal in common. They came to light about the same time—that in the modern sense. They are the two great metropolitan ports bf the Pacific. In its way, San Francisco is as remarkable'a city to the average American east of the Rockies as Shanghai is to most Occidentals. Both are progressive places. and both are... very wicked!
Tt is a curious-thing how a bad name sticks, Shanghai, many, many years ago was officially igmatized ing a "sink off: iniquity," and, though this is no more true than it is of any of the larger cities in any part of the verid, \there are many who believe that' when a man goes to Shanghai he is midway between despair and perdition. Similarly, of San Francisco—this charming. capital of the western states—people say it is a wild place. It is the seat of the "wild West," and eastern American still have the idea that most people in this wild west are €ild, "California," my opinion, "represents the' gross materiality of the West," wrote a friend of mine to me the other day. "And San Francisco is the mos godless city in the West, a place you would do well to remove from.
This is the opinion of a" New Yorker, who, though an able and well-informed man in many avenues of modern life, evidently knows little about San Francisco. this connexion I am reminded that some time ago it was publicly al-Jeged that the dance halls of this city were very noisy and anything but _moral—the same anyone could say about the Carton or the Parisien in Shanghai. San Franciscans raised their voices in uncertain manner, and I see this week that the grand jury for 1924- 25 has been discharged, after rendering its final report on such matters, After referring to several kindred matters, the report read:
The morals of San Francisco were found to be excellent. dance halle were poorly patronized, but well" conducted"
This confirms the claim that San Francisco is not as wild a pla they say it is. T have found San Francisco as T found Shanghai—a progressive city, big-hearted und oper-hand.t, full of the Jor of living whic comes from attempting great things, jealous of its own reputation round the world, but ever ready to lend a hand other places when in need.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.