To the Editor of the "Norta-Cuina Datty News."
Sir, Hats off to Messrs. G. N.; Marshall & Ca. The article in your issue of November 24 telling of; Mr. Marshall's experiment of subing Russians and Poles for Chinese labour in the handling of cargo was most interesting reading.
Although Mr. Marshall is modest enough to call it a "business deal pure and simple," it should commend the recognition and hearty endorsement of the Red Cross Society for the avenue of end-cavour which it opens up for it to follow. Let the employers of Shanghai give the poor Russians in! our midst an opportunity to work and it may be that others besides Mr. Mayshall will find that they are getting more for their money and at the same time having the} satisfaction that they are doing something to help a people in distress. It might be, for instance, that owners of motor cars would find it to their advantage to employ a Russian as chauffeur instead of a Chinese.
I only hope that this good movement will be permitted to grow without the labourers being molested and driven from their jobs by those they are replacing. Should matters come to such a pass, however, I am sure that the S. V. C. will not be found lacking in the preservation of law and order enabling peaceful law-abiding men and women to earn an honest living.
May thq learned professors of sociology and economics, who for years have repeated the statement that white mani cannot possibly compete with Chinese labour, bestir themselves fom their chairs and take note of the lesson which they can gather from Mr. Marshall's practical demonstration, Before closing I must mention} that we shall perhaps hear from old China hands, who through} unadulterated luck in many cases, have chanced to fall into com-; paratively soft jobs, involving no} competition from coolies, that it is not right to replace the coolie, no matter how passively resistant, dishonest, inefficient, expensive, intolerable he becomes.
Enclosing my card,* I am, ete., Spectator.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.