To the Editor of the Sin,—With reference to letter written by the Chairman the Shanghai Race Club, I would like to say that it was not intended to place that institution in the same category as the commercialized gambling re sorts in the French Concession, still less to suggest that their generous donations to charitable organizations are in the nature of a salve.
One does not suppose either that the Shanghai Race Club makes any payment to the Municipal Council other than the regular taxes, or to the Consular Authorities. One remembers, however, that not so many months ago it was stated at a certain shareholders meeting, by I believe, the President of one of the gambling places in the French Concession, that owing to loss of "business" the Company had been obliged to ask the Consular Authorities to be satisfied with a smaller payment than they had previously the said' authorities had acquiesced. Precisely heading this payment would appear one does not know.
This I believe was reported in your own columns.
What the writer wished to emphasise is—that in times such as these, it- is not fitting that large numbers of people, nine-tenths of whom would be Chinese, should be induced to assemble for the purpose of gambling, for it is hardly likely that they would go to the French dog track merely to see the "trials" or to Hai Alai to watch the ple Great numbers of Chinese are giving their lives for their country, the wounded are in a sad plight for Jock of medical supplies. One sees homeless refugees in all directions. one hears of di on all sides. it does not seem fitting, to say the least, that with so much suffering and distress jail round, people should be encouraged to attend these places in- order that those who run them may profit Admittedly, these gambling resorts give employment to a number of people, but how many others have Jost their means of livelihood by the wrecking or forcible closure of mills and factories? These people would fare no worse than thousands of others if these places were closed.
We read to-day that three more British soldiers have been killed and (others seriously wounded in carrying out the duty assigned to them of defending the people of Shanghai. We read also of the very gallant "Lone 500" Chinese of overwhelming Tue resignation of Mrs, Josephine Roche as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in Charge of Public Healih, was accepted by President Roosevelt. Mrs. Roche was appointed to that post in 1934 and has been Chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission for Coordination of Health Activities, since 1935.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.