While no definite statement has been made as to when the Japanese authorities intend to establish a censorship of mails in Shanghai, it is plain from the sayings of the Japanese spokesman on the matter that it is only a question of time before this is done. With the Japanese in de facto control of the Chinese Post OMiee in Shanghai it is clear that they have the power to establish such a system whenever they choose, and if they decide to do so as a result of "well-grounded suspicions" that. the services of the post office are being abused to impede the opera~ tions of the Japanese forces as well as to jeopardize their anfety, it has ta be admitted themes, "amongst them "I Libero della {hat they are merely following the counsels Guttadauro" and "Il of military. prudence, In this connection it Piacere."
His year of military service besan should be pointed out that there is no in~ in 1890. Needless to say d'Annunzio was no fringement of the rights of the International conscript, but a free volunteer, and equally Settlement in the matter, for the buildings of certain, he elected to serve with the cavalry. the Post Office have always been held to be His regiment, the crack Fourteenth, was without the Jurisdiction of the Settlement agreeably stationed at Rome. From the Army authorities, and in fact the Japanese are @'Annunzio returned to journalism, literature operating upon Chinese territory when they and travel. To this period belong some of establish censors there. For this reason, his most famous works, including the ccle~ while the establishment of a censorship of the brated "Trionfo della Morte," "La Gioconda" mails cannot be looked upon with any great and "Il Fuoco." There followed those in-degree of favour, it has to be conceded that, tensely interesting years of d'Annunzio's life the Japanese are well within their rights if at his wonderful villa at Settignano they da make the decision which is Tuscany—"La Capponcina"—where in _his adumbrated by the Japanese spokesman, That own words the poet "returned without effort, concession, however, only covers the domestic to the habits and tastes of a nobleman of the! mail of China and the Chinese, and when the Rinascimento." This was the most prolific question of the interests of foreign neutrals ied of his life, with which are identified in China is involved somewhat different conrrancesca da Rimini," siderations arise. In the first place it is in superb "Federa." Then it was dAnnunzio, conceivable that any letters despatched to like our Byron, voyaged to Greece, and drew either Europe or the United States could ever the inspiration' for so much of "Lans Vitae:—by reason of the time taken for them to It was at this time, too, that the poet, whose each their destination—contain information temperamental genius evoked the admiration likely to be of any great danger to the and devotion of many wonderful women, had Japanese Armies in the field, The time factor his romantic affair with the great actress, alone would vitiate most if not all information Eleonora Duse, who for a time had the that could be sent out of Shanghai to such splendid it somewhat ephemeral distinction, laces, and from this point of view it is according to d'Annunzio's own confession of argued that censorship of this type of mail being "his true inspirer." would be entirely superfluous.
Alter five years of voluntary exile in Paris] and the South of France, d'Annunzio returned to Italy in May 1915, becoming at once the chief protagonist for' Italy's intervention in the Great War. The burning eloquence of the poet played no small part in that ultimate fateful decision that flashed in the sun the modern sabre of Old Rome. Thus at an age past fifty d'Annunzio, who had dedicated his works to the sky, the sea, and the earth, became an active fighter in those three elements, Like the heroes of his own dramas, he lived during those terrific years in the atmosphere of power and sacrifice. Like an immortal Englishman, with a personality so dissimilar The way in which foreign public opinion will regard this possible new development depends to a very great deal on the manner in which the Japanese officials perform their functions, If it is conclusively shown that every endeavour is being made (o keep inevitable inconveniences down to a minimum, if the censorship involves no delay in cor respondence reaching its destination, if no mail connections are missed and the censor= ship exercised solely for the military and pro~ ridist reasons enunciated up to the present.
need be little cause for criticism. this connection it should be borne in mind by the Japanese authorities that, so far as sense of insecurity will continue to prevail,/ and yet a temperament somewhat akin—the retarding the future development of the) port even if it is not indefinitely post poned. It is possible, therefore, entirely to] agree with Mr. Miskin in his contention that there should be guarantees which would] ensure the observance of strict neutrality with Yegard to Shanghai's boundaries. Had it been possible to enforce the Sino-Japanese agree ment of 1932 concerning the demilitarized] area around Shanghai, the destruction which befell' it would never have occurred. It was! not, however, possible {0 secure guarantees that the terms of the agreement would be carried out, and it is not at all clear what] guarantees can be provided in the future save that of a common agreement between all the parties concerned and determination to respect the arrangement. That there will have to be some change in the status of! Shanghai, and, perhaps, its constitution seems to be undeniable, but it is hoped that whatever schemes ultimately emerge will receive the closest scrutiny and most earnest considera~ tion. The fortunes of one of the biggest! cities in the world will be at stake, and faulty. planning may do as much harm to the place any that has been done up to the present. Historically Shanghai is still young. Its youth has all the advantages and disadvantages in separable from that quality. But it has amongst the former those great qualities of energy, resilience and enthusiasm. Furthe more its past fortunes have been built on solid foundation and given the opportunity, and the necessary protection, which any new' scheme must envisage, there is no reason why! Shanghai should not' march on to heights! greater than those which it attained.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.