jes of Shangha Jas a world port, emphasized and closely analysed in reports published by the Whangpoo Conserlvancy Board as far back as in 1917 and 1918, seem all at once to have become realized by the public. At first pronounced extravagant, this theme of Shanghai's future greatness appears! now to be not only universally cepted but believed in as something inevitable, The realization lof this vision, however, presupposes certain tions, First of all—and that is point sometimes forgotten—the degree of Shanghai's greatness depends fundamentally on the fate of China, on her development and the economic and senral conditions of her people land on the ability and character Jot the men, whether Chinese or} foreign, who form the community ud shape its destinies, There is a tendency to believe that hanghai can lead a life apart from the Chinese nation. reality it cannot. Thix subject, however, is too big for the present article. Apart from these fundamentals, there are two local technical needs, that hav to be satisfied, namely, certain vital requirements in regard to general port improvements, and in regard to the government of the place as a whole.
The harbour and its approach-les, as all will remember, were the subject of careful investiga tion and definite recommendations made by the Committee of Experts invited for the purpose n 195 With such amendments gi las changing conditions may call for, the scheme thus proposed for a Harbour Board or) Port, Authority appears perfectly designed to meet the situation. The nucleus of such a Board already exists in the Conservancy Board and the Customs Harbour Department. While the proposal has lain dormant for four y jand may be difficult to put into effect, there is at least a definite aim, towards which all interested jean work.
But in regard to the municipal government of a greater Shanghai, the situation is more There is, as we only], know too well, a diversity of control and interest throughout. The two foreign Settlements, th two Magistracies of Shang! and Paoshan, and the municipal administrations of the Nantao, Chapei, Pootung. Woosung, ete have each a limited sphere only, resulting multiplication of offices and lack lof ce-operation which is fatal to ithe district as a whole, stunt its growth and welfare. In th respect the}}: future of Shanghai, as a great city, where millions do and will probably have to live, is a seri-lous subject of reflexion. The following remarks on the subject are made on the assumption that the present trend in Far Eastern altairs, will continue and that! no force or pressure will be used lor-even tried by the foreign Powers, with the object of pro-where longing or creating foreign special privileges, at Jeast ay long a legitimate ordinary trading interests are not seriously damaged or lives threatened. Even the most hardened "old China hand" will recognize that while this policy stands, his real, everyday welfare is very largely in the hands of the Chinese.
Enthusiasts and admirers of ithe League of Nations have, with a complete disregard of Chinese jo of Shanghai and surroundings, taking in the country even as far as Hangchow "and Soochow, under the mandate and control of the League of Nations. This is entirely outside the realm of practical Chinese polities and need not be seriously discussed at present. As long as China, jor parts of it, hold together as sovereign country or countries, the only respect in which the Shanghai district ever can ever will be unified is in the field of Municipal Government, The central of jurisprudence, customs, and military affairs is obviously "a matter for the Government, which is as jealous any other of its sovereign powers.
Tu a paper read before the Engineering Society of Shanghai in 1919 by Mr. H, von Heidenstam, entitled) "Shanghai—the Metropolis," it was suggested that the fi step towards the municipal owing community of over a million souls was a single Chinese municipal area embracing all the component parts of greater Shanghai on both sides of the river from well hove Lunghua down to the Yangtze, into which the Settle. ments, which at the time, seemed a fixture, could later Present experience a good method of, municipal government by Chine exe in China, has not yet been evolved and it may take some time to evolve one, It is suggest= ed, however, thi this case even a bad' attempt at government is better than none. Box sides, how are the Chinese ever to grapple with modern city problems if they do not make start? When, therefore, the Chinese Government last sum= mer, issued a mandate for Shanghai and Woosung Municipal Avea it looked as if a great step forward were ubout to be taken, " Unfortunately the reform existed only on paper. No effect in practice has as yet been en_to this mandate and the constitutional power, territorial extent and organization of the municipality announced by Peking has never been defined.
The advent of Marshal Sun and Dr. V. K. Ting seems herald a new day. Unless Marshal Sun's admirable speeches mean nothing, and this we do not believe, a practical effort is to be made to achieve practical progress, Of course much depends upon the amount of public support available amongst Chinese, But there is no kick of men who are genuinely anxious to show China's: a to govern by Chinese for Mistakes at first there But if the right men will come forward,—success should gradually follow. This will be disputed by some. But unless a beginning is made and practical experiments in Chinese pal government are under-how can foreigners look, with any feeling. of safety, to-When the y which to surrender the wonderful oasis of clean government, which they have eve ated in the midst of the surrounding chaotic val conditions? The only course must, therefore, be for foreigners, us carly and effectually as they can, to assist the Chinese of Shanghai to shoulder and build up a municipal government of a unified greater Shanghai, excluding for the time being, the Foreign Sertlements, Tu
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.