The question of the Russian refugees grows more and more serious. Much has been done already for them and the best thanks of the community are due to those ladies and gentlemen who have taken upon their shoulders, entirely voluntarily, the task of providing for these unfortunates and of eventually sending then to permanent homes. Yet it is extremely doubtful whether casual voluntary effort can solve the problem. We have it on_ the authority, of a Russian ex-officer, himself a refugee, who manages to earn barely sufficient to keep himself. yet spends what little he has of spare time-in endeavouring to help his fellow country-"men, that there are at least 10,009 i sin Shanghai, practically all without means of subsistence. and he says he is certain that: there are even more than this figure. means that the Russians here number about half the rest of the white population, The depths to which these unfortunate people have fallen searcely can be imagined, Hut it will be understood how desperate they are when, as is a fact, some of them have capplicd to the Chinese authorities for permits as riesha pullers, and have been granted them. It is obvious that when a man takes on such a. job, he is not one of those who will not work. Then there is that sad sight which can be seen daily in Nanking Road. just _above Kiangse Road, of a little Russian girl, apparently not more than eight or nine Years old. pitifully holding out a card box box of cigarettes or sweets for sale. She seldom seems to sell anything, but if she sold the lot the profits'would be minute. There also-is a street shoeblack and a scissors-grinder. The white man's prestige already must, have fallen very considerably and if it is to count for anything at all,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.