To the Editor of the "NortH-Cuina pawr NEWS"
Sm,—The other night I was enjoying myself in the Majestic Cabaret when two Boy Scouts came in and solicited donations for providing comforts to Chinese troops on the firing line.
The hundreds of customers present. except a few who immediately left their tables and started dancing whenever the Boy Scouts approached, collected anywhere from $1 to $10 to the fund:
That is the first and only time I have ever seen such a practice in force—perhaps because I don't go around to the cabarets enough. In any case, I think those in charge of securing donations are overlooking many sources of income.
I personally would be willing to contribute $30 or $40 a month in trickles of $4 or 85 each time (in easy doses) to the funds for comforts to soldiers and refugees, if someone came around and asked me frequently enough. I gave $10 to those Boy Scouts who button-holed me at the Majestic. I am sure there are thousands of foreigners and Chinese who would be glad of the opportunity to dip into th pockets likewise when opportunity presented itself. Otherwise, we just don't take the initiative in doing our bit.
Doubtless many foreigners feel like myself—that the Chinese soldiers are fighting our battles, because God help us the day the Japanese Army is in complete control of this area. I am proud to be an American but, during a recent trip to Tientsin, I have been kicked around by the Japanese milltary, cameras have been smashed in my hand, I have been almost killed a dozen times by Japanese military trucks racing around the city without any regard for traffic lights and other Obligations, I have been kicked off railway platforms while waiting for trains and have borne all kinds of insults, and of course my Government cannot do anything about it.
These are incidents which give me a very personal reason why I want China {o win. There are the broader reasons as so ably stated by President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull I am eager to do my share in aiding China win the war and to make life easier for the Chinese - soldier out there in the trenches.
Some day soon I hope to see Chinese Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, properly credited students and others on Nanking Road and other streets of downtown Shanghai, selling flowers or badges for fund-raising purposes, as we foreigners raise funds for our Own organizations. I hope to see them in the cabarets and other Dilaces of pleasure, making the merry-makers dig into the jeans for contr#butions, A method. could be easily found to prevent abuses and thefts by the dong.tion collectors: I have enough
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.