That municipal rates should be remitted for the time being; that the British who "have treated the Settlement as their own" should defray all expenses; and that the work of the various S.M.C. organs is "not worth the money paid them," are but a tew of the startling statements contained in a circular letter sent through the post to various Chinese shops in Shanghai by an hitherto an-known society styling itself the impressed "Shanghai Chung Hwa National|to-day as being little different from Salvation Association." those preceding it, which were based The general import of the letter seems to be that since times are hard, it is not necessary "to ask the Chinese residents to pay the rates." Most of industrial production, reform of the the Chinese residents, says the letter, educational system and adjustment of are unable to "bear the burden of] the tax system to equalize the burden taxes levied by the International Settlement" due to financial dificult ties. Those who can support themselves are apparently invited to continue paying the rates, but those who cannot are, more or less, advised te discontinue living up to their duties as residents of the Settlement.
"The controlling power of the S.MC. is in the hands of the British," continues the letter, and British employees of both the Council and the Police will no doubt, be glad to learn that they are "paid big salones which astonish the public." Not so nice is the following comment:—"The work performed by those bodies is not worth the money paid them."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.