Mr. Robert L. Stewart laid about him right manfully in the debate on the future of the Municipal Orchestra, during the annual meeting of ratepayers on Wednesday, and it must have been splendid hearing. Unfortunately in cold print it does not have quite the same effect. The speaker dealt with something which he politely called "the Music Monopoly of Shanghai." Obviously the impoliter tersinology would have substituted "racket" for This he said consisted of a "very small group of ruthless politicians (who) have constituted themselves the sole dictators of what music we shall have and what the Council shall pay it, so that the profits to them shall be all that the traffic will bear. Many people are mere tools of this ring, but are absolutely oblivious of it." Much later in his address Mr. Stewart emphasized his contention in the following passage "TI perhaps is the most convincing confirmation that I could have of my position that the Orchestra is run by a lawless Musical Mono-whose disregard of the wishes of the c and the Council are so flagrant as to constitute a first municipal scandal."
Shades of Chicago and New York! There seems in Mr. Stewart's eyes to have been a conspiracy amongst the Council officials to hide away additional expenditure on behalf of the Orchestra, while there is even some doubt as to what happened to the comparatively small sum spent on new music. If Mr. Stewart's remarks on that subject mean anything at all they convey the inference that the money might not have been so spent. probably "so that the profits to them (the ruthless politicians) shall be all that the traffic can bear." It is perhaps just as well not to take Mr, Stewart too seriously, and, locally speaking, that would be the best course to follow. But his charges will undoubtedly obtain wider publicity than merely in Shanghai, amongst people not fully acquainted with local conditions nor the details of this almost annual controversy.
This journal stated in the course of a leading article on the subject of the Orchestra, last Tuesday, that the wages paid the musicians ranged from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $365. Supposing all the musicians were paid the minimum salary, the cost for a year would be $141,000. The appropriation for the Orchestra during 1938 is fixed at $184,500. Not all the musicians are paid the minimum, and the conductor's remuneration is not taken into account in this calculation, but it can easily be seen that the $43,500 difference between the estimate and ihe amount necessary to pay minimum salaries, has still considerably to be reduced, with the result that the profits to the "ruthless politicians" constituting the Music Monopoly are so small that it is worth no one's while to endeavour to "muscle in." As the farmer remarked on seeing a giraffe for the first time: "There ain't no such animal." The facts are that an enthusiastic body of music lovers, and others who realize that life cannot be sustained by dry bread alone, sufficiently believe in their cause to attend ratepayers' meetings in strength adequate to carry their point, whereas their opponents do not. The result is that the ratepayers in meeting decide by a large majority that the Council shall continue to maintain the orchestra. It is, therefore, not the imposition of the will of a small clique of "ruthless politicians" which thwarts Mr. Stewart and those who. think like him, but these latters' lack of sufficient energy or enthusiasm: to secure a majority at the meeting. It may very well be that the music-loving contingent do not represent the majority of the ratepayers, but so long as they are able to swing a meeting in the manner they did on Wednesday they must be held to represent the greater number of ratepayers who feel keenly enough about the matter to make their opinion felt. one way or the other. That is all here is to it, and the dramatic picture of Shanghai being dominated by a gang of musical thugs must be dissipated.
It is a great pity. Disappointment will be felt by the lovers of the sensational that there is no local Boss Croker, addicted to sweet sounds, who, at intervals when he is not indulging in all manner of evil machinations, draws the fiddle from its case, and, tucking it beneath his chin, conjures melodies to soothe his wicked soul. Local journalists will feel doubly bereaved now to learn that, after all, there is no Al Capone lurking in the background forcing music upon the ratepayers of Shanghai whether they like it or not. The stories that will be missed, the "scoops" that will never be secured! There is even no "first class municipal scandal," no choice morsel about which editorial jaws may enthusiastically mumble. From the high elation caused by Mr. Stewart's revelations of Wednesday afternoon, with all its promise of future sensation, a swift descent has been made to the gloominess of drab disillusionment. There are no sinister forces at work in the Council service hiding things from the confiding ratepayers, no stealthy plotting to extract "all the profits......that the traffic can bear." Shanghai is missing a lot, without a hooded Ku Klux Klan armed with harmonic cas bending a flaccid Council and supine ratepayers to their wicked wills. But Shanghai has had its blood delightfully curdled for a few short moments, and now that all the excitement is over will for another year pursue its more or less placid way, undisturbed, "in maiden meditation fancy free," until the fate of the Municipal Orchestra, that helpless chopping block for annual rhetoric cians, again comes to be thrown in the balance. But, persiflage apart, the ratepayers have decided wisely in this instance. They have refused to display a spirit of defeatism, and the sturdiness of their decision augurs well for the future, for if they continue to display the same spirit, when confronting the problems with which they are bound ultimately to be faced, they may still retain much of the old Shanghai they have come to love, and successfully resist attempts to bring about changes which they would not only dislike, but which might in the long run prove inimical to their best interests, 16
St. George's Day Preparations are well in hand by the committee of the local branch of St. George's Society for the celer ion of the national on April 23. The event will not be marked by the annual ball as usual, owing to prevailing conditions. In its place it has been arranged to hold a children's party in the afternoon, and a reception and buffet supper in the evening at the Country Club. The children's party which will last from 430 to 6 pin. is a particularly delightful thought as tending to bring home to English children the significance of the day, for every child likes a "trea as such functions used to be called. The arrangements which are being made for this section of the day's rejoicing ure such that the youngsters should be provided with plenty of amusement, and, in order that everything should be done as efficiently as possible, it is necessary that parents wishing their children should attend the function should make oscarly application for tickets as possible. The accommodation is necessarily limited and in allotting tickets the committee will obviously have to follow the policy of first come first served. Applications for the evening function are also coming in well, but the same consideration applies. No more tickets can be issued than the space available permits, and those wishing to attend the reception would be well advised to get their applications in as soon as they conveniently can. It is hoped that, despite the modification of the usual programme for the day, the two functions will prove as successful this year as the ball has done in the past, and certainly the arrangements which are being made for it promise that those attending will have a remarkably enjoyable time, fitting for so important a national day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.