Optimistic Report in Eighth Radio Broadcast: No Cessation of Emergency Activity pao™ now forward, we hope that the public will understand that, as far as the Settlement is concerned, "no news is good news," said the S.M.C.'s eighth broadcast yesterday. During the first few days of the emergency, these broadcasts were necessary, in order that the people should be informed as quickly as possible of the steps being taken to safeguard their interests, and it is believed that they served a very useful purpose in calming fretted nerves and in allaying nervousness regarding the adequate supply of all foodstuffs and other essential commodities.
Now the situation is much clearer. During the past two days we have been able to sound a comparatively optimistic note, and to-day a further and very definite improvement is to be observed. As is known, we have deen desiing solely with the life within the Settlement borders, south of the Soochow Creek, and have not dealt, except very incidentally, with the major military operations. regards the future, everything naturally depends upon how and when China and Japan will arrange their differences, but as far as the Settlement itself is concerned the position is to-day more promising, and more stable than it has been since the commencement of the trouble. And what is of the greatest importance is that there appears to be no likelihood of any set-back. Therefore the neces-of these broadcasts has to some they will naturally tend to become shorter and shorter.
We do not wish to suggest that the emergency is over. It is far from over and many far-reaching problems have yet to be met. All the Council's emergency committees are still in being and are working now on the same lines as they have been working during the past fortnight. There has been no relaxation of any kind. The public may be assured on that heading. But it is most satisfactory to be able to announce. as we think we can this evening confidence, that even if all danger has not yet passed. the outlook regarding a fairly rapid return to normal conditions is much brighter than it has been at any time during the past fortnight and much more promising than it seemed likely to be only three or four days ago. extent disappeared, They represented one part of the exceptional measures which had to be taken to meet an abnormal situation and now the situation is returning to normal it will possibly not be long now before they are discontinued., They will be maintained for the time being but
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.