"The North-China Daily News" recent comments on "Shanghai's Future" and the "Need for Action" to secure the consolidation of she Foreign Settlement's administration fon a basis appropriate to modern conditions have attracted considerable discussion In. many quarters in Shanghai. Il is believed that special Interest has been aroused in the Council itself. "The tenor of this journal's arguments has produced a Yemarkable reconcilement of former~ ly differing points of view. It is felt, as one prominent foreigner put it last Wednesday, that "something must bbe done," and, he added, "it is up 10 the Council to' ake the steps indicat ed by your journal to present a proper "appreciation of the position to the responsible authorities."
Most significant is the comment emanatirfg *from Japanese observers, who appear to regard this jounal's attitude as a definite challenge to the Council, and a departure from what described as British conservatism." The "Shanghai Mainichi" adapts sev eral passages from the two leading articles to the development of its own own view of the situation. Assert ing" that just as the time when afew. foreign camp. followers of large interests, bent upon the development of the Chinese market, "meekly Vicked up bread crumbs" left by the Digger firms and lived satisfied in Shanghai, is gone, the "Mainichi" last Wednesday declared that administrative methods applicable to those days should also be' scrapped.
™Polities are a force; so is public opinion, In the guidance of these forces into the correct channels ties the excellence of the administrator. The Shanghai Municipal Council, however, ites for secrecy," the newspaper says in a bitter attack upon the allegedly secretive methods adopted by that body.
Declaring that while the establishment of a press section had aided in making administration matters a litle clearer, the "Mainichi" mains tains that these oMclal releases ard, too sketchy.
Suspletons of 8.V.C.
"For Instance, In the case of mat {ers referring to public utilities oF the compilation of the budget, which have such a deep effect upon the of residents, the questions are usually forced "down the latter's throats, Te Is because of such a practice that we are confronted with the problem of gas and, telephone rates, while some quarters even toward with deep suspicion the S.V.C. appropriations.
"An oligarchic form of government fs a government of secrecy. Tt takes more than a super-human effort for anyone to understand the complex report on the Settlement's administration at a. brief ratepayers' meet ing once a year, when one considers that we labour' under the handicap a different tongue, "This is why persons feel uneasy and displeased with the administration of the SIM.C, and demand a reform in the Council and a d _the Seltlement's polities."
'Stating that while a revision of the Land Regulations, which is essential for the carrying' out of basic reig most desirable, the "Maint adds that the enforcement of enlightened and just administrative practice, within the bounds of the resent statutes, is acutely needed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.