Social problems of extraordinary complexity are involved in the traffic in Chinese women and children here in Shanghai. In common with white slavery questions la other countries, they are to be con-
Article 315: (1) Whoever abducts any sidered by the League of Nations female person with intent that she may committee that meets in Geneva next contract 'a marriage' with himself month. The problems of white slavery [with another shall Be punished with among Russians: and other foreign Prisonment. for not less than one year and not more than seven Years: nationals here are simple in com-Parison. That horrible trade (11) Whoever abducts any female per-different. It is coloured by persia-|f2n for, Jucrative, purposes, or with] ct may, sion, loans made to women for committed against her or" that. carnal gowns and travelling expenses that Knowledge may be had her, shall be can only be paid off in one way, and punished with imprisonment' for not a hundred other things which make fess than three years and not more than to ye that|ten years, In addition to which a fine compulsion has been used by. those of not more than one thousand yuan! suspected of organizing the trafic.
The same modifications apply to Chinese of what is known as. the "modern" type. Their case is develop~ ing more and more upon the same ines as the foreign women's. But the Chinese who has not come into contact with the blessings—or handicaps modernity is in quite another category. Over his head hovers the bogey of starvation for himself and his offspring, if one season's crops. Prove a failure. The type is ignorant with an ignorance that lends ftselt to being exploited by unscrupulous persons. Inbred in it is the tradition of Mal piety, that sees no wrong in sacrificing the child fir the benefit of the parent. Parents districts hit by famine and flood will with anguish sell. their well loved children to save them from the tale, that seems Inevitable for themselves, and by doing s0 possibly stave' Off for a week or so the hunger that they dread. may be imposed:
(IM) Whoever transports beyond the territorial limits of the Republic. any Person whom he Ras abducted shall Punished with imprisonment for life for not less than five years An attempt to commit any under this Artie shall be puno These laws have been modified somewhat by decisions of the Supreme Court, the most important change being the ruling in several cases. that a. parent selling a child for purposes of adoption and without Knowledge of possible immoral purposes among those who are buying the child, is guilty of no offence. Nevertheless under these laws there were 76 persons arrested on charges of trafficking in females, and 118 on charges of abduction of females in the International Settlement during 1934, Offences in the French Concession' were proportionate,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.