Jan. 10.
'On Saturday morning two Japanese soldiers' walking along Nanking Road had apparently Tost their bearings. Approaching a Sikh constable on traffic duty they saluted, asked how to reach their destination, were cour teensly told, and then, they' with equal politeness saluted and went on their way. A small incident in itself, but significant when compared with others which took place or came to public notice last week. It serves to prove that the courtesy, for which the Japanese have always been well known, still foxists, and that the unfortunate occurrences concerning which the Municipal Courteil has} felt obliged to make protests to the Japanese: authorities may still be regarded as exceptions rather than the general rule, Whether that Is so or not the foreign communities of Shanghai would like to believe such to be the case, and, if at the moment they find! such n belief somewhat difficult to accept, it is hoped that the Japanese authorities. will take such action as to lend it corroboration. Of the assaults on British members of the 'Municipal Police Force it may be said' that the two cases under notice present rather ferent aspects, and varying degrees of! seriousness. Any attack on the uniformed. members of a force organized for the purpose: of preserving peace and good order is a serious matter. It is unlawful'in itself, tends] to diminish the authority of the force and is fan Insult to the governing body from which it receives its mandate, That It also reflects upon the commanders of the men guilty of these incidents is also true, for it leaves the' unfortunate impression that they "are not controlling their men with all the efficiency' which is to be expected of them, and a lack of discipline' which it is dimeult to believe really does exist. From that point of view it is possible that the Japanese authoriies will regard these offences with just as} such gravity as the municipal authorities, and it is consequently hoped that -they will take! such steps as to bring about.a greater regard for the persons of foreigners, whether in the uniform of the Shanghai Municipal Council or not, There is a wide'difterence between the two attacks on British members of the force. Bad Ee police in the execution of th incident at the Naval Landing he had held up a military motor cycle. 'Whether he had or had not is entirely beside] the point, At the request of the, Japanese] authorities he called at headquarters to ex-' plain the matier, and it is alleged that he! was detained and subjected' to ill-treatment, and that when he failed to return to his station after the lapse of some time, Superin~ tendent Sinclair wert in search of him and] was himself molested. Inspector Bennett] was not obliged to make the call be did; the] Japanese.naval authorities have no legal jurisdiction' over him, and his visit may be} taken as one of courtesy; but the of the mattor'is that this was not the case of wayside fracas, but an assault, or rather two assaults in the headquarters, a_place where it is to" be presumed that' authority] does. prevail. In view of all the circum~ stances can it be surprising that the reports] of these occurrences have aroused the greatest indignation in Great Britain as witnessed. by' the Press comment which was reproduced in yesterday morning's issue?
The international aspect "of the mater is now being dealt with by the proper author!~ ties, and in due course a new protest will be handed to the Japanese Government in Tokyo, But there is still a local side to the whole matter which deserves consideration, Re-Peated allegations have been made concerning the supposed inefficiency of the police] force. - they are emphatically' denied, but the fact remains that conduct, such* as' that -of which complaint is made, is calculated diminish the authority of the very force which] {s being criticized and by that means to reduce! lls" effectiveness. The other communities! residing in this international settlement are entitled to expect the completest ce-operation, from the Japanese community, whether for the moment it is under naval and military control, or under the leaders who, function in more normal times. It is as well that there should be straight talking on, the subject. Moreover it is necessary that the non~Japanese print of view should be represented to them with all the force which courtesy permits, No one for a moment will deny that these are dimeult times, times which require the greatest forbearance on the part of everyone as much on the part of the victorious Japanese as on the Chinese and foreigners who live within the boundaries of this city. Isolated] displays of irritation and, perhaps of romance maybe not completely avoidable, for tempers are apt in days such as these rapidly. to become frayed. This should at all times be borne in mind, and if the members of the Japanese forces can be brought to understand] how greatly the small incident mentioned the top of this column was appreciated by those who observed it, they will realize how ttle is necessary to make an effective contribution towards. lessening local tension Which must of necessity be increased by occurrencies of a*¢ompletely different complexion.' Those two Japanese' soldiers, who went down Nanking Road unedncernedly on. their way, probably failed to notice the ap~ predative' glances which followed them. It so easy, to maintain the peace, as yet so] dificult to restore it when once it is broken,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.