There will be every sympathy with the British authorities here in their efforts to avert the premature return of women from Hongkong. It must however again be emphasized that, as the broadcast station at Hongkong is virtually a Government concern, the error which encouraged certain ladies to make the trip in the D'Artagnan must be attributed to a failure in official ce-ordination and steps should be taken to see that it is not repeated. The community is not naturally indisciplined and it is ready to wait for the official word before preparing to come back to Shanghai. On their side, however, it is necessary that the authorities both here and in Hongkong should show a reciprocal wiling-ness to.treat the evacuees as sensible people who have reluctantly taken a step under official advice and expect to be supported accordingly. Although it ís realized that Hongkong has coped with a difficult situation in a spirit of helpfulness and good nature, it seems from letters reaching here that certain aspects of the evacuation from Shanghai require most careful consideration. The Committee which arranged the disposal of the passengers and luggage so well might be asked to examine some of these complaints, It was generally understood, for example, that the differentiation between classes was designed only ta affect cabin accommodation, for the officers of the evacuation committee expressly urged able-bodied and fit women to travel third if they could. The inference was clear that this involved no special discrimination and it was assumed that access to all parts of the ship would be made available to all alike, with the exception of the cabin accommodation, In some ships this was done, but there were others and of those others piteous stories are now been told in letters from Hongkong. Restraint is being observed because it is not desired to embarrass officials at a difficult time, but now that officials are—quite rightly—asking for cooperation in preventing too early a return of these evacuees to Shanghai it is eminently appropriate that some notice should be taken of the apparently well-founded complaints which have been made, if only to guard against similar happenings on the return journey. The na authorities were so solicitous in their attention to the evacuees that is certain that they will be most indignant when they learn how their implied promises were kept during the journey of certain vessels to the Colony. There may have been a genuine misunderstanding but it is to be hoped that it will be cleared up if only for the sake of the reputations involved. Otherwise more will be heard of the affair when conditions justify attention to it. Meanwhile it should be urged again that this is not the tung for evacuees to return; ability to judge the date when consideration may be given to that matter is not within the possession of any official or non-official agency. Until there is a clear sign that the military situation is stabilized it would be the height of folly to hold out hopes fulfilment of which would destroy the good work done in carrying out a notable measure of relief.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.