To the Editor of the "Norta-Caixa Dairy News."
Srr,—I was pleased to see that someone has at last tried to make Shanghai pause for a moment from their many pleasures, to think about the disgrace to all here that the comparatively small sum required for the above memorial to our Glorious Dead should receive the small support it has had so far.
There is not a town or village in Great Britain, France or America that has not erected some public memorial according to their means months ago.
That a rich city such as Shanghai which has been in a position to coin money during the war, and many have without doubt done so, should be so behind, can only be due to the fact that there is really no one taking any real interest, and what is "everybody's business Tf some prominent member of the community will only take a list round fo all hongs he will, I feel assured. have no refusals and the sum will be raised in a week, fact I have heard many say "Oh T have not been asked to Firms and many individuals seem to overlook the fact that there would have been no small fortunes made or a Race Meeting to go to, if matters had gone against the Allies. Oh no,, the!'Hun would certainly have seen to that.
To whom have we to show gratitude for t "Those who fought and returned and those who achieved death that our cause might live."
T am, ete., Lest We Forcer.
Shanghai, Oct. 99.
To the Editor of the "Norra-Cama Datty News."
$ir,—While you are daily: eproaching the public with a "backwardness in coming forward" to help on the War Memorial scheme, you have devoted your, leading article of October 29, to cases of the greatest distress occurring is our midst.
Could not the whole idea of a cenotaph be deliberately given vp—and the money for a War Memorial be devoted to some active charitable purpose which would be to the benefit of so many sufferers? A straight question may. be asked—What good would the building of a cenotaph be to those who gave their lives for England in the Great War? None. Would their memory not be as well, not better, perpetuated by some building in which the poor would have their hardships modified?
Not a Hospital but a home where the neglected ones of this city could find a refuge, food, warmth and clothing.
A series of small dwellings could be built, on the plan of so many of our really beautiful almshouses in England: or one large house with a common dining-room, in which widowed or deserted mothers could live, and go to their: occupations each day, leaving their smallest children to the care of a competent woman aided by a couple of amahs.
The details of such a' scheme should net be difficult to work out, and the solace it would bring to many unfortunate families would be_untold.
Of course a tablet over the entrance or in some other conspicuous place would show that this was Shanghai's memorial to her fallen heroes; and no doubt those same brave men looking down on our model city would bless us for the good being done to the "least ut these little ones.""
Tam, ete., Shanghai. Oct. 30.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.