Mar. 12
If the views of various muni: cipal councillors on publicity, imply merely a reaffirmation of their belief that the Council's! proceedings should continue to be held in private there will|- be no disposition to quarrel with them. This journal has already pointed out the difficulty of exposing the discussions of the Council to the limelight of verbatim reporting. If, however, as would be judged from remarks which indicate satisfaction with the present arrangements for publicity generally, some candidates consider that it is unnecessary to establish a publicity department, then they are sadly out of touch with public opinion and, indeed, with certain trends of thought in the Council administration. The matter cannot be left where it is. During the last few months there have been very grave lapses in the Council on this point, Pains have been taken to odium, There should be a little plain speaking on this subject. Menibers and others connected with the Council are apt to dismiss criticism with the easy observation that an organized publicity department may be desirable in other places ut here the delicacy of the political issues makes such a device impracticable and inexpedient. The answer bluntly is that in that. delicacy lies the grave need for the avoidance of such incidents. as that to which Mr. C, H. Arnhold drew pointed attention in these columns yesterday. It is just because the Council so much requires public apprecia~ tion of its difficulties that its Press methods ate being called in question, Another anodyne of which the Lavender Ladies, Who are apparently, represent:
among the candidates, make frequent use, is the contention that the Press of Shanghai contains more than' its fair share of original sin and is 80 desperately wicked and incompetent that a publicity depart-a luxury which would edly be abused. Such criticism is unworthy of Shanghai. Although no journal would {be 0 foolish to give a blank cheque of rectitude to the whole of the profession, the standard of journalistic conduct and performance in Shanghai compares favourably with that obtaining: anywhere else in the world, making allowances for dif: ference in resources, as would be done, for instance, in instituting comparisons between any other profession here and outside. "Municipal Councillors may well endeavour to acquire a hetter conceit of themselves. The work of the permanent. officials and the Council' own devotion to duty deserve adequate attention.' It is not fair that, after doing good by stealth, the Council should blush to find it fame awry owing to the defects of publicity machinery.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.