sioner of Shanghai and Woosung Yen Chun-yang, Commis-
Police and Martial Law Forces, gave a general outline of his policy fu the course of a speech which ihe delivered on Wednesday at a tiffin he gave at the Majestic Hotel in honour of well over 100 local Chinese and foreign journalists. Gen. Yen's speech was marked by its sincerity and his keen desire to work more than talk, Gen. Yen, said that, although he shad arrived here several months ago, he had not, on account of administrative duties, been able to meet many of the leading Shanghai jour-rialists; but in spite of this he heartily appreciated their good efforts to ce-operate with him and advise him through the columns of their papers on important matters connected with the maintenance of peace and order in Shanghai and Woosung, the districts under jurisdiction. Although he had not been able fo do very much, he had succeded somewhat in suppressing trouble, Many things, however, covid well be improved. Being a native of Kiangsu, Gen, Yen said that he was greatly concerned with the welfare of this province, and especially, the immediate locality. He had, however, been away from home for such a long time that he really knew little of how things stood, and for this reason he was considerably handicapped in the carrying out of his di Shortly after he had arrived in Shanghai, said Gen, Yen, he was ordered by his chief, Marshal Sun Chuan-fang, to become Commander of the Martial Law Forces. Then suddenly came an order that he had been appointed Commissioner Police, a post for which he was not ait all fitted, He had been a soldier for some 20 years and had not the slightest knowledge of polities. Much poorer was his administrative ability, There were many problem with which he had been confronted, most of which were of an important nature, and it was through the advice and suggestions of the members of the press that he was able to succeed in carrying out some reforms. 'There were still many things to be done and many others to be undone, but, he said, can do. anything, Twill' had received the advice of the merchants and gentry and he read the papers carefully each day and was sincerely endeavouring to carry out the best suggestions of the press. He hoped they would continue to offer their advice.
The Want of Money Dealing with the local police question, Gen, Yen said that the one great trouble which faced the police administration was the foch that there was no money for their up-Keep and the men were very poor. Their education had not been taken cere of and in order to be efficient, they must receive plenty of education, as well as drill and instruction, Gen. Yen hoped to raise the intellectual standard of his men and hud petitioned to Marshal Sun Chuan-fang for support and a free hand in elevating their mental facilities, Nothing much in. the past had been done and what was to he done would have to be done slowly, but surely, Even recently, the men had been without their pay} for months, even more than a year, at a time, but he was now doing vay with that evil practice and, was doing his best to pay the men, in full. He had secured loans for, purpose. He had issued orders is men to repair old roads and new ones, in fact, he was desirous that there should be generous reforms. He was doing and would continue to do things, sineerely, honestly and to the best of his ability, In saying these words, he was speaking from the bottom of his heart and meant no mere empty. statement. He wanted no praise but he appealed for the assistance of all in making Shanghai and Kiangsu safer and peaceful, Robbery and Kidnapping Gen. Yen then dealt with the numerous cases of armed robberies, Lidnapping and threatening letters, Of late, he said, many cases had come to threatening letters and' holding! for ransom, One could read the dally prose and see the number of these outrages each day. "I mean put this down," he deciared, "and Thave sent my mien out to investi gate such cases and to arrest the miscreants. Most of these crimes were committed in the foreign settlements, but they affected the people of the whole district, and! the people suffered as a result. The worst aspect in this connexion was the illicit importation and sale of small arms to bad characters. Gen, Yen promised to ce-operate with the Consular Body and the Councils of the International Settlement and French Concession to get id of, these scoundrels. We must, he said, work for the suppression of crime, or at least to lessen criminal acts.' Gen. Yen said that he had written to Marshal Sun Chuan-fang on the question of his power to execute criminals handed over to him by the Settlement authorities. He would allow the civil and criminal courts to take their own course and he would not_interfere with them, but he would execute any bad characters found guilty of heinous crimes,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.