Seven British and American Candidates Should Receive Election Arguments are Analysed by Resident: Britons Votes: Others Eliminated Warned Against Ostrich Attitude (By Tue orton) the tames 'This editorial appeared on the, out pope of the "North-China ally News" on Sunday, the day bel the' polling. it sums wp the foliole Heme Before the Shan ratepayers, 1 election of nine foreign councillors for the Int Internationat takes place to-morrow (Monday) and Tuesday. The A.D. Catnoux, Mu, C. S. Frante, Mu. Bnic, - Gen, EH, Macwacwren, Ma.
Hanowo Porter, Me, 'T, Urase, Mu. T, YAMAstoTo rit en canals, enndldates are standing for nine 3 ts. The appearance of of the Japanese three Japs dates, japanese candidates, inch has completely dominated the election accredited representatives
ever since the nominations announced, Whereas, in the pest, a can-Aidate from one of the smaller communi ties from time to time appear with auecess to reduce the Mumber of seats beld ther by dhe American communities, ths Is te tst time that a candidature can" put forward 10 Increase' the "representation community which for several years has been regularly represented by two members, usually with the whole-hearted support of the British and American ratepayers.
This Japanese decision did not come as a surprise for it had been freely canvassed In the Japanese press. Moreover, the last lection, It was understood that the poll Whether the continuance of signs of Brit Increase Japanese representation, would be closely watched to gauge fish apathy Justifed the attempt to Challenge to Status Quo The British community has, however, en up this challenge to the status quo and, mainly as the re the activities of a specially formed representative Election Committee, the electors have been awakened to the Importance of registering their votes in the forthcoming poll. For the frst time the British candidates have been chosen as the result of a previous "straw" ballot in which 78 per cent. of 1 the British electorate polied. There mot be any doubt therefore thai the five Belt candidates: Mr, fates: ae. I.E ruhotd, Ne, W. 3. Keswick, Brig-Gen. €. 1, Macnaghten, Int G, E. Moh Mr, Harold Porter, like the (we Ameri in' candidates Mr. A.D. Calhe and Mr, G, 8, Franklin—elected by a "pri imary"—are the true representatives of thelt community.
The Importance of this Issue Wes in the fact that the success of the three "Japanese candidates would disturb the status quo by reducing western" representation on the Council from seven to six. As there are already about 1,000 voters of smaller western" communities who have no direct representative on the Council. this is proposed change is looked upon with disfavour as it would weaken the Counei's ability to handle the Seltfnatever arguments there may be for ineFeased Japanese representation loment. afar In a fully internatlonel pit
{Is held that such a radical change in the Council's composition should the effected by means of @ general scheme of constitutional. reform which could take into account other anomaly es, including the lack of direct Fepresentation for smaller European communities. The Issue being thus presented, the electors who desire to mai in tain the status quo have only one way of achieving that intention: they mi ust vote solidly for the seven non-Japsinese candidates: Messrs. Arnhold, Ca thou, Franklin, Keswick, Macnaghten, Mitchell and Porter to the exclusion of the three Japanese' names on the ballot paper. This, as has been exp! lained elaborately in the course of the week, Is. mathematical fact and not a politico theory.
How Ratepayers Should Voi te In the reumstances, the personal qualifications of the candidates and their declarations of policy have not been factors in the election. All candidates, for the first time endorsement of their respective notional organizations Shanghats history, carry the formal The sole issu therefore, is whether the composition of the Council shall be, as befor two Americans, five British and two Japanese (with the eventual addition of the. five Chinese members) or whether the Japanese representation shall be increased to three. The status quo can be secured by eliminating the three Japanese names on the voting paper. This will automatically ensure the return of two Japanese candidates 3 before and it will give the other foreign candidates their best chance of securing election. There 1s no other way for, if the elector desiring the status quo to be maintained, uses all his nine votes, he will actually defeat hi is purpose. He must therefore uso only seven voles and eliminate the thre: Japanese names, if the retention the status, quo 1s desired.
The elector is thus invited by this journal In the beat interests of the Settlement to vote only for Arnhold, Calhoun, Franklin, Keswick, Msenaghten, atltehell and Porter and to vote for them solidly without exception to the exclusion of al others. bya resident of By A Suave It would be plain folly for foreign' ratepayers to ignore the issue which has been raised in the coming munlcipal elections. That it is national Isque is to be regretted, but the blame rests upon the Japanese who raised it In simple language the Issue is this: The Japanese want a larger say in the running of the Internation al Settlement and, with their well regimented vote, they are out to gel} it. For the past year the Japanese ress and spokesmen of the Japanese Residents Corporation quoted therein have put forward various arguments jin their favour. The chief of these are that-—
1—Japanese interests in the Inter national Settlement have grown out of proportion to their representation fon the governing body of the Seti ment.
2—There has been ineMeiency and extravagance In running the administration and reprehensible partiality the employment of certain nationals, chiefly British.
Japan's dominant position in the Orient entitles her toa dominant position in the principal commercial centre of China,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.