Attention is drawn to a letter in to-day's correspondence columns concerning women venturing into the Hungjao area unaccompanied by male escorts. It only a comparatively short time ago that official warning to this effect Even then it is not particularly e, as that may not wholly prevent the occurrence of unfortunate incidents. It is ap-Farent that there will have to be a very considerable change in condition prevailing west of the perimeter before it will again be possible for women to move about ju it with the same degree of safety as that to which they accustomed before the outbreak of hostilities. Two women travelling together is not likely to provide much mutual defence should they become involved with some of the bad characters known to be found in that area, and for them to wander into it unaccompanied is merely ask-for trouble, Not only that, behaviour of this nature is definitely unfair and disloyal to their diplomatic and consular representatives. In the event of something unpleasant occurring it is to be presumed that the usual protests and other representations would be made. The officials, however, would have the ground cut from under their feet if they were met with the reply that their own nationals were not heeding the warning they, themselves, had given them. Curiosity, and a desire to see what has been done during the fighting around Shanghai is very understandable, but it is imperative that at any rate for the time being they should be curbed. There are still very many unpleasant sights to be seen in those areas, a fact to which another correspondent referred a few days ago. There are people who delight in the macabre, but even they should restrain their enthusiasm, and when all is said and done these are times when it is better to be safe than sorry.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.