To the Editor of the "NonieCinsa Dany News"
Smi—With regard to Newcostnn's inquiry as to the meaning. of the expression "Shanghai Mind," T think he stays here Tong enough he bound to find out, that is, unless he acquires it himself. Some do, some not, Twas glad to fearn from He J. Tinmemiay's Totter how the expression, originated. I had forgotten, though seem to recall now that at the time caused rather a stir. Did it not call forth an editorial? Shanghai didn't like to hear that its mind was different from aay other, any-more than it liked Mr. Pyke's plain speaking in "The Listener," but certainly Is, T think that Never Mise, if he writes seriously, is somewhat wide of the mark. I hardly think that Mr. Ransome, special correspondent of! the "Manchester Guardian" had either the Shanghai Girl or the Shanghai Boy in mind when he wrote, the article mentioned, but British people of Shanghai generally.
"The majority. of the British in Shanghai appear to have a different, outlook from that of people at home: for in other parts of the world. One cannot but agree with Mr. Ransome that for the most part Englishmen in Shanghai do not represent an English outpost or: share the English point of and view. Their horizon is bounded by Shanghai, They are apathetic to all that does not directly concern themselves.
'Many people here reem to have acquired an' exaggerated sense their own importance, a false idea of values. One wonders how they fare when they return to their home-Jand, how they fit in with life ina small.town or village. One has only fo glance down the columns of your Society page to see how a certain set like to be in the limelight and to have their doings recorded, Tt would seem to some to show lack of good taste and good feeling to {ell of all the dinners and cock= fail parties given, and the number of guests entertained at this or that hotel by the more fortunate members of the community when there is so much real distress in Shanghai., Only recently a lady speaking to a large gathering deplored the fact that. s0 mich is spent on social entertaining.
T do not say that everyone here! has the "Shanghai Mind," the same narrow outlook, but ecriainly many have, It Is sufficiently generat to be Aw Exet Shanghai, Feb, 1.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.