To the Editor of the "Mobrh-Cwkn DAILY News"
Sm—It has been well said that "Adversity makes strange bed-fellows" and for this reason I find myself in hearty agreement with my excellent enemy, Mr. A. de C. Sowersy, on the general principle outlined in his letter in- your columns this morning, namely, the a ngenent of a public meeting of residents in Shanghai for the free expression of public opinion on the present crisis in this city When Generalissimo Chiang-Kaishek's and General Pai-Chung-hsi's gladly join hands in mutta] adversity, how much the more may minor mortals, for instance, our sabieshirted-Sowerby's and crimson-cravatted-Lockhart's, follow their common sense example!
Let us consider the practice] aspects of Mr. Sowexsy's reasonable proposals?
The first step would be to call a mass meeting of at Shanghai business men, foreign and Chinese, 10 be at some such place as the Grand Theatre, with a view to appointing leaders, deciding "upon. a common potiey, ising the necessary funds'to put in motion the machinery ior rousing the Governments of the nationals involved to action.
I have certain counter suggestions to make regarding the above, which I hope Mr. Sowsrsy will be good enough to consider.
Ten years ago I called a public meeting in Shanghai on a certain matter, and held it at the former lecture hall of the Royal Asiatic Society in Museum Road which was available for letting for public meetings. The then-fee was quite small, amounting to $5 with a couple of dollars for the coolie who had to sweep up afterwards.
I believe the "Wu Lien-teh" Lecture Hall of the Royal Asiatic Society is available for letting for public meetings, so I suggest that Mr. Sowzasv should kick-off in Museum Road, where both Chinese and Foreigners interested can go and we can then sense the general feeling in the Settlement as to the wisdom, or otherwise, of calling a further mass meeting in the premises of a theatre, which i: àn expensive matter and primarily benefits the theatre proprietor I dont fancy the hiring fee for the "Wu Lien-tel Hall is very high (I hope not and suggest that if it be reasonable, the amount can easily be collected at the meeting. If the collection be not enough to pay for the hiring fee, then the doors can be closed and people will be charged 20 cents a head to get out!
So that disposes of the venue of the meeting-ánd the modest finance Let it be clearly understood that this is a meeting called for the definite purpose of attempting to organize a further mass meeting. of Chinese and Foreign residents in the International Settlement to consider the present situation here.
I hope I do no injustice to Mr. Sowensy when stating my belief that. both he and I are very positive persons, and whether on this or that matter we happen to be right or wrong, at least mo one cab. accuse either of us of being Jelly-fish-invertebrates, Thus, I would urge my excellent enemy to take the lead in calling and conducting such a preliminary meeting for the positive purpose of sending forth some positive expression of Settlement opinion on this important issue.
We people living in the Settlement can speak with first-hand knowledge of that subject, One definite advantage to be gained from such a preliminary canter is that the many foreign newspaper correspondents temporarily sojourning amongst us will have something positive and well-informed to cable to their respective journals.
It is greatly to be hoped that the select and well-known group of "Leading Personalities" in the Settlement who have proved themselves to be such utter "wash-outs" during the past eight years will keep their fingers out of this particular pie.
What is required, first and foremost, is to get a genuine and public expression of the general opinion of "the Man in the Street" in this Settlement and the active sympathy we feel for the Chinese amongst whom we live and try to earn a livelihood.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.