Japanese Unions Want Three S.M.C. Seats Plans for a campaign designed to elect three Japanese to the Municipal [Council at' the annual election March were discussed at the first meeting of the year of the' standing committee of the Amalgamated Japanese Street Unions on Monday afternoon, the "Shanghai Mainichi" reported on Tuesday, Jan, 14, There are now two Jzpanese councillors.
The daily said that the names candidates were mentioned at. th Other questions deliberated upon the two-hour session, the paper continued, included the selection of a new chairman of the standing committee and the installation of electric ight and power systems by the Chinese-owned Chapei Power and /Water Company ju Japanese homes in the outside roads. area, 'The chairmanship of the body is Inow being temporarily occupied by Mr. Kyutaro Hayashi, following the resignation in December of Mr. Masusaburo "Amano, "who became president of the Japanese Residents' Corporation, Mr. Hayashi has repeatedly refused to assume the chait-manship on a permanent basis, declaring that his private affairs prevented him from devoting rumicient time fo the work. A now chaltman is to be elected at the general assembly of the Amalgamated Street Unions to be held in February.
British "Intransigeance"
In an editorial commenting on the JJapanese demand for more seats on the Shanghai Municipal Council, {the "Shanghai Mainichi" last Wednes-asked. the British community to "drop its intransigeanee so as not to force the Japanese into a fight at the polls which would run counter spirit of ¢o-operation."
Tt reviewed the dissatisfaction exist jing among the local Japanese at the ratio with which Council seats are assigned 10 the various nationalities.
Every year, when the election drew Jncar. a compromise on a new agree ment whereby the Japanese would secure three seats out of nine was sought from the British, but had always failed. "The Japanese have been unwilling to take the issue directly to the polls as this would run counter to the spirit of Jconeiliation. Conditions, however, will no longer allow the Japanese 10 continue to be humble," the daily remarked.
"It is the unanimous desire among, the Japanese to elect three councillors and we intend to secure the under standing of the British and the other Jcommunities in the matter," it added, Land Regulations Out of Date Declaring that the Land Regulations and the charter of he Selle ment are now antiquated, but that the "gloomy situation in the Orient prevents them from being revised, the "Mainichi" wants seats in the Council to be assigned "more fairly, as to bring about a reform in the [municipal administration."
the present ratio of 52.2 among the "The need of effecting " change in British, Japanese and Americans set forth in the so-called gentlemen's agreement' has been noted of late, the daily went on. "Declaring that the British are being too men favoured under the present arrangement, all thinking groups are de-Jmanding that concessions be made by them," the journal added, saying that. Jmany advocated a reshuffle of seats that they would be assigned follows: British 4; Japanese 3, Americans one and other nationalities one.
"The British, however, steeped in Jmemories of their past ' glory and. boasting of their constructive efforts the establishment and development of the Settlement, are lacking, true perception of the present and Jor the future of the settlement. As jo result, they noisily assert their reasons for occupying the majority of seats in the Council" the paper
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.