Land Regulations' Use of " He" in Respect of those Eligible for Office Are we to have lady members ai the Shanghai Municipal Council? The question has been raised and is now open to discussion but nat, we trust, with anything like the heat which has characterized talk upon matters of importance—such og the trees on the bund, straphanging in tram cas, the welfare of the Moral League, ete. If the matter really is to be brought forward at all, it is earnestly to be hoped that voters, and especially lady voters, will romain calm and refrain from adopting such measures of coercion as preceded the appearance of ladies in Parliament. There are times when life in Shanghai is very dull, and local version of the "votes for women'? campaign, modified of course to suit local conditions, might be appreciated in the sultry days now upon us. Let there be no extreme measures, however. It is one thing for ladies in London to chain themselves to a Cabinet Minister's door and take vath to remain there until the vote has been granted; quite another to perform similarly in Shanghai with its multitudinous critics and manifold complications.
'THE COUNCIL'S CONCESSION, Are ladies entitled to membership of the Municipal Council? Natural-Ly one looks at once to the Land Regulations for light on the Constitution. Article XIX answers the question. After stating the conditions upon which "every foreigner" Lecomes entitled to a vote, the article proceeds:
"And no one shall' be qualified to be a Member of the said Council unless he shall pay an annual assessment, exclusive of licences, Tis, 50, or shall be a householder paying on an assessed rental of Tls. 1,200 per annum."
It will be seen from this article that while "every foreigner" becomes eligible, upon satisfying certain conditions, to vote, the article expressly uses the masculine phrase in reference to prospective members of the Council. It might be strictly interpreted thus that women are not eligible for nvembership until this regulation has been altered to read "he (or she)': but the Council has already gallantly conceded the point and the word has gone forth that women may "in future" become members if they have the skill. the wit, the charm or whatever other quality is required in securing electoral support.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.