Yo the Editor of the "Nonmi-Cuixa Dany News"
Sm—May I be permitted to express appreciation of your leaderette of to~day's date, regretting the criticisms made at the Japanese press conference of the recent record of the Munlelpal Police, Tt would not be an exaggeration to say that Shang-hal presents to its police a far more aimeult task than any other city in the world. To have maintained order in this bewildering metropolis while a reckless war: was being. waged on every side, to have done this quidly and eMctently without the terrifying suppression of martial law, and then to have steered successfully between the Scylla of Chinese patriotism and the Charybdis of a conquering army, is a feat for which world opinion," and Japanese Gullantry, should accord the highest raise, Tt is incredible that a Japanese spokesman should talk of the police "taking to their heels", when it was a question of prudently withdrawing. from a district that was nothing less than "a baillefteld. Surely, the heroism of police, as well as firemen and employees of utility companies, who continued to venture voluntarily into that area as non-combatants, to. save life and preserve property, 1s Infinitely more commendable than the bravery of armed soldiers in ug-outs, who have no course before them but to kill, and obey.
It is not only fair that the Japanese should " acknowledge the - excellent work of the Municipal Police, but it essential that they should' themselves do everything in their power to make the present tension easier. No one can deny that local Chinese are sincere in their desire to live peacefully under an ordered regime and to return to their livelihood in factory or farm. Admittedly, before this desire can be frillilied, fanatics must stop throwing bombs: but Japanese soldiers and marines must fse cease committing acts likely to arouse: Tatent enmity or invite ter= roust attacks, It Is a pity that the representatives of the Japanese press do not come to sit at the fect of some neutral Gamaliel, so that this Totter point might be made more elect to them,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.