The thoughtful letter which J.S.B. contributes on the rickshaw problem very properly calls upon Shanghai Yet, it would. seem, there is some lack of perception of the actualities of the process of reform, as revealed during the short time of the Rickshaw Board's existence.
Tt is ad. mitted that the have shown the usual opposition of vested Interests to a scheme which they regard as inimical to their own prosperity. They have reinforced that opposition by arguments and Jdevices which do more credit to heir ingenuity than to their sense of decency. - For all that the Rickshaw Board, as the Council's instrument for dealing with the problem, Thas to take the Hongs' position into account. It cannot fairly Ignore legitimate rights even though those rights have been exercised in unfair exploitation of others. Nor can it fall to weigh up the possibilities of having to take action in despite of the Hongs. The Board—under the Council's direction—has combined firmness in holding to general. principles with patient conciliation in the hope of Bringing the Hongs along the line of reason. It has not been lunguecessful, but to gain ground it! has hed perforce to proceed more jeautlously than is palatable to those whom the disclosures of the Massey Report genuinely shocked. Tt has false hed" to bear seriously in mind the position inthe other municipal tareas. Unless those areas, as the quotation in JS.B's letter' rightly recognizes, are prepared to give their cooperation the Settlement authori ties may find it exceedingly dificult to maintain even the present pace of reform. Fortunately there are signs that this consideration is being appreciated in the French Conces= sion ard in the City Government. Still the necessary ce-ordinated cooperation has not been fully Sstablished and there is every ground for urging that the other authorities Should do all that they can to expedite action on their respective sides, After all the Hongs and the pullers have already committed themselves to what amounts to cooperation with the Board, in spits of early refusals to show any such com-Plaisance. The tron hand in the Velvet glove is sometimes preferable the mailed fist. Tt may pertinent, too, to remind those whose impatience is fully deserving of sympathy, that in the last resort the Council is responsible to the Seitle. ment for the preservation of law and order. It is therefore only fair to permit the Council to be the best fudge of the dispositions necessary for the discharge of those functions spectacular reforming act might be "staged by the Rickshaw Board but, inthe long run, it might be more unpleasantly spectacular than reforming. The Connell perhaps would command tittle sympathy If such a contingency arose, Both' the Bourd and the Council have the right to ask that they should be regarded as of ordinary Intelligence, reasonable sincerity and discerning tenacity, On their sid no doubt, they will be prepared to Tecognize that, it the impatient critics become fully apprised of the extreme intricacy and delicacy of the reformer's tavk. their admirable vigilance on behalf of humanitarian principles will be tempered with intelllkent patience.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.