In a joint proclamation published yesterday, the Shanghai Municipal Council and the French Concession issued a stern warning to members of political parties threatening expulsion and the adoption of the "most drastic steps within their power to punish any person who at this time commits any act prejudicial to the preservation of peace, order and good government."
The proclamation, issued under the seals of both areas, reads as follows:
From the beginning of the present hostilities, the Authorities of the French Concession and the International Settlement have striven continuously to preserve the neutrality of the areas under their control so that law-abiding residents may continue with security to carry on their lawful occupations and so that the safety of life and property may be preserved for all persons irrespective of nationality, Activities of a political. nature, though regarded by those participating in them as being of patriotic character, cannot legitimately be carried on in neutral areas whose neutrality. is respected solely because of the existence of the Foreign Authorities of the Concession and Settlement respectively. Associations of a political nature can, accordingly, not be allowed to operate in the areas under the control of the Authorities of the French Concession and the International Settlement. Their continued activities would, in the opinion of the authorities concerned, be inconsistent with that secure neutrality which it is their common object to preserve for the benefit of the whole community.
It is, accordingly, hereby proclaimed that any person participating in the activities of any such association either directly or indirectly may be denied the sanctuary of the Concession and the Settlement and will be liable to expulsion therefrom.
Warning is also hereby given that the two authorities concerned may. at any time, without further notice
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.