The shocking assassination of Mr. Loh Pah-hong on Thursday afternoon inspires the fear that another one of the frequent epidemics of assassination is about~to befall Shanghai. A rumour is extant that Mr, Lo was killed for patriotic motives. If that is true no reason would possibly be worse, for if ever a community needed the wise guidance of its leaders it is the Chinese community in the unhappy circumstances with which it is beset, The victim of this outrage was a man whose many services to his own people made him an outstanding figure in Shanghai, and his record shows he was one who never ceased from doing good, if, indeed. he was preparing to be one of the seven Chinese men to stand between the needs of the civilian population of Shanghai, and the military necessities of Japan, it is not even then to be believed that he was actuated should be remembered that {n the Great War in by any unpatriotic motive. [n this connection it Belgium. and certain occupied parts of France, Belgian end French leaders did come between the civil population and the military occupants of the areas involved, and, without any stain upon their patriotism, rendered services to their own people the value of which cannot be overestimated. In this case, in view of the man's career, is it not to be thought that he was again seeking how best to serve his suffering countrymen? They may very well soy that they need no such assistance, and refuse to cooperate with whatever organization is being contemplated, but to go further than that and murder these men who may be guided by the best possible motives. is to assume a right of judgment which the dictates of law and order must speedily deny. Hot-headed patriotism may be all very well in its way, but it is the calm, clear thinking man who best serves his country, and a campaign of assassination may do the Chinese people in this area an infinite amount of harm. For that reason it is to be hoped that the culprits will speedily be brought to justice. and that proper punishment will be meted out. The interests of millions of Chinese in Shanghai demand that this shall be done, and that if the guilty persons are apprehended the Courts will take such action as may be reasonably expected of them,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.