To the Editor of the "Nontu-Cutna Datty News"
Su—In view of the grave financial situation now facing this community it may aot be out of place to offer comment on the proposal of Mrs. George A. Fitch to saddle it with yet another expensive appanage of up Apparently this admirable lady, a woman friend in America who definitely interested to come on a three years arrangement" to Shanghai "to organize this important work out here."
The Sirst year's cost is put at $5,000 "carefully estimated for one worker fon missionary salary, one office and Traveller's Ald desis in station and customs Jetty waiting room."
Presumably another $5,000 will be wanted in 1937 and 1938 to finance this importation, making $15,000 (as a minimum) in all.
In support of yer idea Mrs. Fitch cites Russian benevolent organizations and three Chinese cases, to demonstrate the type of labours her friend from America would preside over and organize.
A—Chinese girl Shansi, con: cumine to a man who soon thereafter died, comes to Shanghai with a couple who promised her employ~ ment. Tried {o commit suicide at Woosung, but the police saved her.
B.—One of two beautiful daughters of a farmer near Hangchow is given to his landlord in lieu of rent. The son of the landlord wanted her as his third wife and the wedding was all arranged at a Hangchow hotel, "The beautiful daughter decamped to Shanghai, however, and taking a rickshaw finds her way to a police station where she is saved by the police.
C—A Shantung girl of 18 (again beautiful) comes to-a Motion Picture Studio in Shanghai in search of em-Ployment. As there is none, she is sent to the Shantung Guild, who save her, and arrange safe conduct for her to adorn her village once again, Now it seems that, as a plain matter of common sense, the adventures of these beautiful Chinese young women have all been happily li-undated by organizations, police and otherwise, already in existence here.
'And a question that may obtrude itself upon your readers' minds is how in the world is an American uplift organizer (at $5,000 per annum) likely to save these beautiful young. women from their varying dilemmas, to any better purpose than is already, being done?
On the contrary, as the lady would be quite ignorant of the Chinese dialects and customs she could scarcely form contacts for intelligent ly performing her off.
And, after all, are not these matters more particularly the concern of our Chinese friends" who, quite rightly, demand complete freedom {rom in: terference by foreigners in their domestic affairs?
It is true that Mrs. Fitch has cited tone case of "an inexperienced but beautiful American girl who arrived and, being misled, was almost ready to drop out of sight and follow the path of least resistance."
Yet, surely the combined efforts of the U.S. A. Consular authorities, the American Community Chest, the Community Church Council on Social Issues together with the Y.W.C.A, fare sume lent to take care of inexperienced but beautiful American girls who contrive to arrive in Shanghai?
Just as one swallow docs not make a summer, It would seem that the happy disposition of one beauty's perplexities scarcely justifies the pro~ posed tax of $15,000 for the next three years upon the already overburdened charitable foreign public of this place, Mrs, Flich ends her appeal for money with the sentence:—
"Everything points to successtut fourching. of this enterprise if this community, s0 generous to 50 many food causes, Is Feady to support one With all respect 1 submit that the Importation of an. expensive uplift worker in the cause advocated is not necessarily a good thing, as it seems merely a costly duplication of agencies already established, In conclusion, one notes the em= phasis placed upon the beauty of the young women who come on these wild goose chases to Shanghai, so one draws the inference that the plain and homely looking ones do not experience these exciting adventure Would it not be wiser for Mrs, Fitch fo appeal to the public in the US.A, for this newly-discovered dispensable need" in view of the fact that from A.D. 1861 to 1996 Shanghai has got along without a "Traveller's Aid" gadget, and is hardly in a financial condition to pander to such a whims?
Shanghai, July 6,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.