So much hag been written about the attitude of*the rickshaw pullers. and their so-called union towards the efforts of the Council's Rickshaw Board to ameliorate their conditions that It Is interesting to learn the pulllers' own version of the situation.
'Six pullers picked at random, questioned by a "North-China Herald" reporter' on Thursday had never heard of the Council's efforts or the creation of any board or the existence of any union to represent them.
"Riskshaw Board of the Municipal Council? Relief measures? Union? We've never heard of duch things," then declared. "We are coolies who have to Work hard to make a living and we have to pay 140 cents small fuoney, for hiring riekshawe for 24
That, in a nutshell, represented the views and knowledge of the six pullers who were selected at random in the central and western districts and asked if they knew anything about the efforts on their behalf, All they were interested in was a reduction of the hire rate and they were so Interested in the news that the Coun~ ils plan from July 1 was to reduce the rate that they bombarded the reporter with questions.
'Who ordered a reduction? The Police?", "What is the Rickshaw Board? ' Was it formed by the foreign policemen?", "When would the Teduction be in' effect? Did the Shanghai Municipal Council say 50", Was it true that the new rate would be enforced?", "Do you think that the new rate would come into force?"
"The reduction would prove a blessing to us," concluded one puller. "Tope it is true," said another. 'The remaining four did not say anything. but smiled. Their attitude, it was apparent from their facial' express sion, was one which might be summed
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.