Relief Programme Urged the Editor of the "Nomn-Cinwa Dancy News"
Sm—It_may perhaps be assumed that the repatriation process by which the refugee population of the neutral tareas in Shanghai has been success sively reduced has approximately Teached its end, and that those who remain now asia charge on the city are here to stay. Phildnthrople bodies who Have so excellently. shouldered the burden &t food and care for the innocent victims of war have to face the winter of difficulties in which their resources will be strained to the There must be programmes of road construction and other municipal works held up because of uncertain tes, I am not an engineer, but marvel every time 1 have occasion to rive past the Siccawei Creek, why 4 fs that the stench of that waterway cannot be overcome by the skill of modern engineering. Does it require cleaning out, or binding? There are still creeks in the areas of the International Seltlement known a8. the Outside Roads district, and to the Jay mind at least it would appear that, they should have been fied in long ago, 1 have always felt. that a. good [scrubbing brush taken to the alleyways and the-walls of houses #0 often befouled was the only healthy solution to the general condition of dirt and stench which characterizes them: ut in normal times the cleansing squads of the city are obviously not sufficient, Now required would appear to be lacking, Moreover, the presence of refugees fon the sireers and in byeways has increased the need for the clean-up operations. I passed through the Municipal Compound the other day, where T saw men at work scrubbing the flagstones with abrasives, presume ably to remove grease from motor cars which had accumulated during abnormal days. Could not our Ways also be scrubbed? What a Toller if we could feel that we were cleaner, not dirtier, for the presence of war refugees amongst us.
This programme, though called "Public Works" would be in some of Mts phases far from costly. And for those involving outlay, what of it? 'This city has a future, Vis" present parlous state notwithstanding, There would not be wanting citizens of any tone of the three administrations who would be willing to subscribe' special "Public Works Loan," for the kind of activity outlined. The city has to live unto itself for some time. 40, Let it be done with as little sutfering as possible and with og much return as can be obtained, Shanghai, Oct, 22,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.