With the establishment of an autonomous commission for the administration of. Nantao and the Native City a further step_has been {aken in the move towards the rehabilitation of the areas around" Shanghai. Tt is clear that lillie could be done without the creation of some such body as that which came into being on the afternoon of January 11, The two leaders, Messrs. Chen Yun and Ling Chi-tan have been {in association with the Japanese for some time, ce-operating with the Japanese Special Service Section. It is unnecessary to" indulge in speculation as. to the: motives Underlying the step taken by these men and the other eleven who go {0 make up the commission, 'The work they are undertaking has to be done' by someone or other in the interests of the hundreds of thousands of Chinese who, no matter in what imeulties their country may be involved, have sil! to arty on, and live and work, Parallels for their action can be found in the history of practically every. war since history recorded them, and itis equally necessary now, a3 in the past that there should be some sort of liaison between the forces occupying a country and its inhabitants. Shanghat is stilt dismayed at the slowness with which stops are being taken pen up the "remainder of the areas around Shanghai, "It is necessary that the. thousands of farmers taking refuge in the foreign areas should be permitted to" return to their' farms and work the sell, for preparation has {0 be made for this spring's crops, a matter which may be of very considerable importance to the whole of Shanghai. There will undoubtedly be many who will severely criticize these men for ho action which they are taking, but it has to be remembered, that service to their fellows in such a juncture as this ig wholly commendable, and may be taken to prove the existence of just as real a patriotism as that which wontd prolong nitering by refusal to ce-operate with the Power {hat 49 at present master in this area. It is well that this should be borne in mind, for anything which' may serve to obviate the' misery. with: Which thousands of Chinese are still threatened locally is heartily to be welcomed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.