To the Féitor of the "NowrH-CHia Damty News"
Sm,—The confiscation of the estate of the late Sheng Kung Pao the Nanking authorities is becoming a ed use eélébre in Chinese affairs. It is rumoured that at the conference at Kyoto it was the subject of a great deal of very unfavourable comment also that forjcign diplomatic circles are keenly interested in the matter. More widespread and intense is the perturbation evinced, when it can be safely expressed, by the well-to-do Chinese in Shanghai, who are na. turally alarmed at what appears to be the exercise of ruthless imperial power during the tutelage period.
All fair-minded persons must, however, congratulate the Nanking Jadministration on the high moral principles by which they are actuatfed even though it means riding rough-shod over popular conceptions of, justice. On the other hand, however, in the grim determination, at all costs, unswervingly to follow. the path of moral rectitude even to: visiting the sins of the fathers. to the third and fourth. generations, certain non-ethi¢al considerations may have been overlooked.
Sheng Kung-pao was undoubtedly a very great man, Although more than 18 years have elapsed since his death (and he was then over 70 years of age) his brilliant genius thad already rightly apprehended that China's best means of achieving national prosperity and prestige and equality status with other world Powers was through sound economic and industrial developrient.
It was Sheng Kung-pao's initia ative, enterprise and genius for organization and his acumen in the Selection of capable foreign and native experts that assisted greatly the foundation of China's tele-
[graph service, the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, the y, the Pinghsiang Colliery, the Imperial (now the Commercial) Bank, the San Sing Cotton Mill—all basic industries of national importance as well as insurance companies and many other commercial enterprises. He might almost be considered as the father of China's industrial development on modern Tines. It is estimat-
Jed that the various enterprises invitiated by him have, for more than quarter of a century, continuously provided for nearly 10,000 families. During this period at least $30,000, [000 to $40,000,000 has been distributed in' wages. This is a very rough estimate and probably much {too conservative. The San Sing. Cotton Company which now appears be attracting the attention of the "powers that be" was founded, ft is understood, by the Into Sheng Kung-pao over '40 years ago. and has. continuously employed about 15,000 operatives. It is said to be Jone of the cldest cotton mills in Shanghai and to have distributed fin wages at least $20,000,000 since Sheng Kung-pao's last efforts in official life were devoted towards the nationalization and standardizasion of the railways of China and lone of his last conscious acts before is death was to bequeath a special fund of Tis, 5,000,000 for charitable purposes. Since his death hu widow has on occasions made muni. feet contributions to charity including one, I believe, of $150,000 towards the relief of the sufferers of the terrible floods' which devastated North China some-years. aga. been these should not-be permitted completely to.overshadow the great jserviees rendered nit only to his Jown day and generation but to those that have followed and are still to follow.
If this tribute to his memory. [from an old foreign acquaintance does in a measure, restore his good ame in public esteem, it will have Jachieved the object of this letter. another, often. shout at each other, as if they. were on equal footing, The'proprietor may be seen any day carrying a tin of biscuits or candy fon his back, just as any coolie does. This is not considered—below dignity, and certainly contributes to the "family life" in which the business is conducted.
Tam, ete, WALTER BUCHLER, London, Oct. 8, 1929, Tam, ce, /Shangbai, Nov. 20, 1929.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.