Sept. 5.
WE gladly draw attention to the appeal from the Japanese General Chamber of Commerce to the Shanghai community for help in Japan's sore need. From the ready response which has greeted our announcement yesterday that we would receive contributions, we are sure that the Japanese Chamber's request will be most generously met. Indeed at such a moment as this the impulse of every heart must be to give. It was this feeling which prompted open our list,: knowing, as we did, how many would only be asking where they might send their money. Now, however, that the Japanese Chamber's appeal has gone forth, we naturally make way for them and any further cheques that may: reach us, together with what has. already come in, will be sent on as quickly as possible to the Chamber.
As regards the state of affairs in the stricken area we are still to some extent in the regions of rumour. It might be said that we know both too much and too little. For news of friends and relations we are still anxiously waiting; and meanwhile the mere geography ical outlines of the disaster are so enormous that the mind simply cannot grasp them. We read of islands vanishing, of the configuration of great har-hours twisted and dislimned, of whole towns wiped out, of mighty buildings once the glory of their city now but heaps of smoking ruin. The picture is so appalling that it almost ceases to have any meaning for us. The financial losses involved are beyond even the power of guessing. The human suffering of the moment is the least part of the misfortune, apart, that is, from the thousands who suffer no more. Monetary help will pour forth from all countries and food and supplies will be rushed in from every town in Japan. The Government appears to have risen to the occasion with its accustomed vigour and there will be no delay in bringing material help to the destitute. But it is to be feared that the whole business structure of Japan has received a shock from which it
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.