To the Editor. of the "NortH-Cuina Dam News"
Sm,—Last night going home on No. 2 bus, the tired, dirty passengers homeward bound at about 7.30 received tracts in Russian, English and Chinese, smilingly handed us by a man and woman who seem to be what is called "self-supporting" missionaries, I don't mind that. It gives One something to chat about over dinner instead of what one of your "personals" termed "bad times," but why don't some of these reformers clean up Szechuen Road between Museum and the Navy Y.M.C.A.? Complaints to the S.M.C. are answered by promises that they' have attended to this matter, yet obscene picture sellers by the score, literally, go merrily along selling to Chinese, Japanese, sailors, soldiers, etc. I am told if a U.S.A. army or navy man is caught with pictures like this, it is a very serious offence, but I saw two hawkers chasing two "renin" type of Japanese along who refused once, saying "Too much money," but when the hawkers followed them, they stopped and looked at them. I stopped and took them from the Japanese and took a good look. He was exceedingly peeved at my daring, but I turned to the Chinese, who said: "It's none of your business" It isn't really, any more than anyone else's, but when I said: " make it mine and ihe Police Force's business" he ran up an alley fast.
If these hawkers ply their business together with the ladies of the evening, one doesn't mind, But at tiffin time, it is a little too much for foreign sensibilities, 1 wish one of the radio men would take this up. That seems to shame the 5.M.C. into a clean-up for a short time, A Chinese shimbun was at the Navy YM. and another shuffling a mass of reports or papers, but they "maskee" that sort of thing. Perhaps a foreign policeman along there might help, as that is an important thoroughfare through the day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.