The honour which the French Government has seen fit to confer upon Father Jacquinot de Besange has rarely, it is believed, been so richly deserved, and this journal takes an especial delight in tendering to the recipient the congratulations not only of itself but of its readers. Father Jacquinot, and not for the first time, has displayed those qualities of leadership in the cause of mercy which is wholly admirable. Realizing the desperate plight of hundreds of thousands of tha inhabitants of the native city in the event of fighting occurring in Nantao, he with a loyal band of helpers devised a scheme which brought to all those unhappy people a measure of safety and protection. Within the Jacquinot zone, for the consent to the establishment of which both the Chinese and Japanese authorities are to be complimented, there was order, and confidence, and Father Jacquinot and his helpers maintained a patriarchal form of government admirably fitted to the needs of the Occasion No one who saw the frightened thousands milling outside the boundaries of the French Concession cannot but be thankful that there were men of vision and courage fo take the action they did, and so do something to limit the appalling amount of suffering which has been inflicted upon the innocent civilians of this area. They will see in the honour done to Father Jacquinot implied praise for their own endeavours, praise which this journal is only too willing to give in the knowledge that all thinking men must necessarily agree. And of this new Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, this "ver ray par fit gentile knight" may not another description by Chaucer be quoted?:—
"Loke who that is most virtuous alwa; Privee and apert, and most entendeth ay, To do the gentile dedes that he can And fake him for the grottest gentile man."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.