To the Editor of the "Nonri-Cuxa Datcy News"
Sin-—Being a Chinese, 1 wish to thank MIM. for his letter to you published on August 11_on the subject "A. Contrast: Devotion and Pleasure," in which he eulogizes the devotion of the Jews he witnessed on the 9th Ab and deplores some of our fellow citizens' indulging in pleasure-seeking in cabarets, cinemas, and etc.
a time when our nation is strusling for her very existence. Confucius once said: "He who points out to us our shortcomings' fs our friend."
Whilst agreeing with MJ.M. that fs utterly disgusting to see' the manner some of our fellow citizens behave at this our national crisis, T am afraid he is only an fait with one Side of the story and his criticisms will not do justice to some of us Without a slight modifeation. Let me explain to his the following T have known personally scores of my fellow citizens either whose properties located in the war zone were destroyed during the war, or whose dear ones were killed or lost, oF whose investments through many many years of hard saving were ruined, and to them life does not seem worth living. Their friends and relatives find themselves at their wits' end when trying to soothe them and the most effective way they can think of is to make them forget their misfortunes by urging them to go to such pleasure places, just like some [People take to drinking in order to drown their grief. Those who fall within this category really deserve our sympathy and their presence in pleasure places should riot be criticized as disgusting.
Then we Chinese must endeavour to keep up our morale. No doubt one of the biggest enemies China can face at the present moment is when we Chinese get so sick and tired of the present state of affairs and begin to hate war and want peace, yes, pence at all costs. Of course, indulging in pleasure-seeking by our youths should be viewed as "criminal" (to quote MJ.M.'s word), but experience told me that under the present circumstances a normal, reasonable amount of wholesome recreation is even more indispensable, if available, and I believe some of your readers share the same opinion." During the World War the Allies did almost the same thing, and although they did it to their soldiers by giving them concerts, dances, and all sorts of other amusement, the principle is one and the same, My remarks should not be taken as an encouragement to those who indulge in pleasure secking.
'A Cmxese Your, Shanghai, Aug. 17.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.