Chinese Merchants Calling for Drastic Punishment for the Criminals Reference was made in the Chinese press on Wednesday to the recent seizure by robbers of Government bonds in Shanghai, and the number of other armed robberies which have occurred, and it was stated that merchants are Setting anxious about the transport of money from place to place in the Settlement. The Chinese Bankers' Association and_ the Chamber of Commerce hwa in the circumstances forwarded the following suggestions to the Municipal Police for the increase of protection against robbery Increase of the number of police on point duty, Increase of the number of "troopers" to assist the police.
Increase of the number of street lights.
The arming of watchmen with Improved organization for checking the smuggling of arms and ammunition.
A suggestion which seems likely to Lo much more effective than any of the above is that which has been forwarded to the Mixed Court by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. This body suggests that all armed robbers, of whatever description, be treated as bandits and tufei, and dealt with according to Chinese law, 2 capital punishment. As this cal not be done within the Settlement, the Chamber suggests that armed robbers appearing before the court should all be handed over to the Arsenal authorities to be dealt with. This is done in some cases, but the Chamber asks that it be done in every instance, instead of sending the culprits to prison for a few months or even years. The proposal appears to be a sound one. Only the most severe punishment is likely to put an end to the extensive activities of the armed robber, who does not scruple to take life when opposition is offered.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.