To the Editor of the '"Nonru-Cha Danby News."
Sim—While heartily endorsing the opinions expressed in. "Shang-_ letter to you, I would like to emphasize an important—point Which your correspondent seems either to have missed or purposely refrained from mentioning, in refer-fence to the clauses of the nev agreement, namely the terms relating to foreign legal practitioners.
As compared to the clauses agreed upon in connection with the Frenca Mixed Court, it will be seen that there is a notable difference in th? treatment of foreign lawyers in the new Provisional Court. In the French Mixed Court the advocates who have signed the roll continue to enjoy the same privileges as before, whereas lawyers who have practised the old Mixed Court and Provi a number of formalities evidently designed to render it impossible for them to practise in future.
T think this is most unfair not only to the legal profession but to all foreign commercial houses, and yen to the Chinese themselves.
Old hongs and numerous Chinese jon to such foreign lawyers, as have enjoyed their confidence. Why should this privilege be denied them?
If the Chinese litigants do not care to choose their lawyers from amongst the foreign practitioners, any privilege granted to there lawyers will not hurt the Chi On the other hand, the satisfactory services in the past, the Chinese feel that they should' not abandon their old and trusted counsel, why should! they not be at liberty to retain them formerly?
Tt seems far more consonant with justice that the number of foreign lawyers in Shanghai should die out =if'they must do so at all—through withdrawal of clientele than that: they should be disbarred in consequence of arbitrary restrictions. Moreover foreign firms cannot be expected to relinquish so vital a right as that of being represented by foreign counsel in the new Court, It is useless to argue on the contention that: foreign lawyers can apply for certificates from the Ministry of Justice. Everyone knows] that the objection to foreign lavyera does not emanate from the Chinese Government but from the Chinese Bar Association, and ones men seem to lord it over judges and Ministers alike, the result would obvious.
If this essential point is conceded to the Chinese, we might as well submit to a new rule that all muni jeipal employees be Chinese in future, that no foreign medical practitioners be allowed to practise in Shanghai without a certificate from the Ministry of Health, an: that all foreign corporations be! compelled to register at Nanking' and pay a special tax—-How would] this appeal to those interested Tam, ete, Hooie Mut, Cras Trot Shangh
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.