ity the poor chicken" is the idea which the Shanghai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is trying to inculcate into the minds of the hundreds of Chinese who purchase birds to adorn their tables at the Chinese New Year Festival, For the fourth year in succession, the Society is "organizing a vigorous campaign against wrong methods of carrying home the main course In the New Year feast, The society's idea is that it is all very well to dig into the chicken with gusto when the proper time comes, but there is not the slightest necessity for doing so before the poor bird is even dead. Stationed, therefore, at! strategic points in the Hongkew, Sinza and Seymour Road markets during the four or five days preceding the New Year.are little groups of scouts performing the humane. task superintending the handing out of baskets for conveying chickens home, Instead of carrying them. by. the wings or legs, as would be done otherwise in many cases, This annual campaign is the result of the kindliness of a former Netherlands Consul-General in Shanghai, Dr. F, E. H, Grocaman, Every Chie nese "New ' Year, Dr, Grocnman would see chickens with agonized looks on their faces being swung merrily along by the legs or wings by high-spirited Chinese who forgot their festive mood the pain which they were causing to a dumb creature. "He personally suggested and financed the annual campaign for the distribution of baskets during his lime in Shanghai. Now, however, the society has to bear the expense from its own funds. The humane service rendered ig such that the society does not wish to rive it up even though the annual fund is not any more forthcoming,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.