Apr. 13, Resolution VI on the agenda for next Wednesday's meeting, "that Jessfield and Hongkew Parks, the Public Gardens, the Bund Lawns and Foreshore, and Quinsan Square be opened to Chinese on the same terms as to foreigners," was too gene! expected to cause any surprise to the public. Indeed there was 'a rumour that it was to have been proposed last year. But sentence of the re-"that the Council be empowered to draw up and enforce such regulations as may sary to give effect:
is regrettably wanting in purpose and clarity. On a subject which is certain to arouse controversy, the Council would surely have been better advised to make up its mind as to. the nature of the regulations before "rushing into print," as. the saying is. Everyone, Chinese as well a3 foreign: agrees that some restriction must be imposed; and to have stated plainly from the outset what form this should take would have disarmed a good deal of the sort of criticism that is already reaching us, The resolution should certainly be amended before next Wednesday for public information.
As we understand, opinions are at a moderate price.
Entrance to parks by payment is the rule in Peking and no objection is by Chinese to the same locally, It may be emphasized in this connexion that Chinese of the class who would use the parks are just as anxious as foreigners can be to keep them orderly. With this in view, the only modification we would suggest is that entrance be entirely by season tickets Foreigners who use the parks largely are those who cannot afford gardens and to whom the frequent outgoing of even a few cents is a matter of consideration especially as the month grows old. The purchase of a season ticket costs more at the moment; but once paid, it is over and done with and the parks thenceforward available at any time. One foresees that a good deal of discretion will have to be put into the hands of the parkkeepers and they will need careful training. But no doubt the Council will have thought of that.
We need hardly repeat that. we are in favour of admitting Chinese to the parks on equal terms with foreigners, provided the amenities are preserved in the manner for which all reasonable men are prepared. The invidiousness of the old exclusion could never be defended and is even less defensible now that there are to be Chinese Municipal Councillors. "Tt would look strange indeed if we invited Chinese to sit on our governing body but did not admit them to our parks, The question is more closely bound up with the future welfare of Shanghai than we imagine or perhaps anyone can imagine. Large issues are misunderstood or altogether overlooked abroad: little: ones are, perhaps; equally misunderstood,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.