Judging from the signs vouchsafed from many sides the approaching Christmas season will, be duly marked by the appropriate cere monies assigned to it by tradition. Not only Christmas but the declining days of the year may induce temporary forgetfulness of troubles. Shanghai hopes that the customary benevolence of the Christmastide will not be allowed to relax. The Rotary Club's wonderful Christmas gesture which enables young people to have their stockings Alled with rehabilitated toys {s still open to support. The President of the Rotary Club who, incidentally, has long displayed a personal {terest in the scheme, has oppos for intensification of the effort. Those who have broken toys, or any toys for which they cannot find personal use, are urged to send or take them to the nearest Ford Garage depot or to the main col-ection centre at the premises of the former American-Oriental Bank in Nanking Road. It is right that Rotarians should be fully encouraged in their annual salute of brave but impoverished childhood. The past year as dying year, unhappily, unlikely to receive enthusiastic encomiums by way of farewell. It brought to Shanghai much distress, a great deal of anxiety and no little confusion. Yet it has not damped the basic courage of the community. So Christmas should be assured of due recognition for its traditional programme of good-fellowship, charitable endeavour and_ pious hope. Preparations for the celebration are clearly In train. The Post Office is beginning its task of conveying greetings across the seas. [Shops are brightening their windows. with temptations to the gift-buyer. Folk who have been. wondering whether again they would ever know what employment was, are [nding an opportunity for earning modest wage which will, at least, mitigate the severity of weary disappointment. It may, indeed, presage the advent of better times.
The Salvation Army and the organizations which set themselves [to cope with distress are specially calling for ce-operation. The practical appeal for cast-off clothing for the Salvation Army's distribution to its grateful clients is warmly commended. Let each one bethink himself or herself whether there is not an odd garment, a superfluous wrap, a spare sult or an unwanted overcoat which can be usefully handed over to Brigadier Darby so'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.