March 13.
Four months ago, the Diplomatic Corps in Peking on the recommendation of the local' Consular Body notified the Waichiaopu that they were prepared to agree to Chinese representation on the Shanghai Municipal Council, The Consular Body arid the Diplomatic Corps represented the whole opinion of the Foreign community of Shanghai. The Waichiaopu has had this proposal for four months, but} hae never acknowledged or repiled to it.
The fact that euch an offer had been made and that the Chinese Government had done nothing about it, was kept from the public because there had been no reply. It is dificult for the Legation to give the—impression that they ave secking to force the Chinese Government to do the right thing by the Chinese people of Shanghai. The truth has just come to light] because of the campaign which ly being waged among the foreign communities for Chinese] representation on the Council. At first it was thought that perhaps some foreigners were 1 ponsible for the failure of our wishes to materialize in that] direction, But now the truth is known: the Waichiaopa stands} between the Chinese residents of Shanghai and their representation on the Council. They alone} are to blame.
It will be remembered that} after the May 30 Affair the} Government then in power in Peking utilized that unfortunate situation to keep itself in power. Ag Jong as the country surged with the issues aroused at that} ne, no chang took place in When the country settled down, that Government lost much of its. influence and several cabinets have wince come and gone. It would appear as though it were the tie sive of the Peking Government 1 prevent the settlement of the Shanghai Question, in order that this might always be a talking! point at International Conferences and that it might be a source of invitation to the Chinese, which might be utilized in internal polities. It may appear wise to some that the Peking! Government should adopt such a policy, but it is not to be believed that the Chinese residents of Shanghai, who have investments in this city, who own property here, whose businesses and industries are here, desire further disturbances and further troubles. As the situation it Shanghai is developing, it is most necessary for Chinese and foreigners to work together to maintain order and to prevent this rich and thickly populated Metropolis, with its large mass of itinerant workers, from being used by Peking politicians for theft own purposes, which are! never beneficial to' trade and commerce. It is a curious fact that the Peking Government has always insisted upon removing any settlement of the Shanghai Affair from this city to Peking, where it becomes confused with altogether extraneous issues and where any settlement effected would benefit Peking and- not Shanghai.
Although there has been no official announcement, it is) known that at the forthcoming ratepayer's meeting, some statement is sure to be made with regard to Chinese representation on the Council. Owing to the diplomatic technicalities of the problem, it is not possible for such representation to come into effect without the consent of the Diplomatic Corps and the Waichiaopu, The Diplomatic Corps is prepared to meet the wishes of the Chinese and foreigners in Shanghai, The Waichiaopu is not. The Waichiaopu cares nothing, apparently, about the welfare of the Chinese of Shanghai or the peace and progress of this port. Cannot the Chinese merchants and commercial organizations of Shanghai take immediate steps in their own interest? Can they not impress upon their officials that, if the Waichiaopu utilizes the' techni-colitics of the Land Regulations: prevent representation on the Council, some other way may be found to achieve it?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.