The issue of the joint proclamation by the authorities of the French Concession, and the International Settlement, levelled against those engaged in propagating disorders within those areas, is to be welcomed not only as a step in the right direction, but as a striking demonstration of the community of interests between them. It is imperative that the neutrality of the foreign areas of Shanghai shall be maintained in the completest integrity, and the more definitely it is brought home to those seeking to stir up turmoil that their activities will not be tolerated the better for the foreign areas, and the millions of people they shelter. There is historical precedent for the insistence upon the neutrality of the foreign portions of Shanghai. It is to be found in the Sino-Japanese war, when the neutrality of Shanghai was especially provided for, and there is no reason why that should not be insisted and fully maintained. That can-however, if the areas under foreign control are to be used by pro-Chinese and pro-Japanese terrorists for the purpose of carrying on their nefarious activities, and the proclamation is to be taken as levelled against both those classes, and not solely against those who for what they are pleased to call patriotic motives seek to wage a subterranean war against the Japanese who are in control of the surrounding areas. It is an undeniable fact that, upon the outbreak of hostilities in 1937, hundreds of thousands of Chinese fled from the environs of Shanghai into the city, seeking that asylum which only neutrality could provide. Possibly those hundreds of thousands owe their existence to the presence of this convenient refuge at their very doors, and the enormous amount of assistance which was provided for them through, to a great extent, the charitable activities of the normal residents of the place. It is not believed that those poor wretches are behind the terrorism of which there has been too much evidence in the past, but rather those men who have percolated into the foreign areas from Japanese occupied districts for the purpose of carrying on their struggle against the invaders.
They should be stopped by any mean available. It is definitely against the best interests of the Chinese resident in the foreign areas that the latter should be made the cockpit for activities calculated to destroy that neutrality which the authorities of both sections have sought, and are seeking loyally to preserve. Associations of a political nature cannot, obviously, be allowed to operate, where their operation constitutes an infringement of the rights of others not immediately concerned in the struggle between China, and Japan. Flag-fying, if used for the purpose of annoying one section of the community, can justifiably be stopped as likely to lead to a breach of the peace. There is evidence available to show that concerted action in this respect has been employed to create just that type of annoyance, and while the Japanese seem to have been somewhat hypersensitive in the matter, there can be little objection to their demand that this form of vexatious demonstration should be stopped. Itis just as well that the Chinese responsible should realize this, for there is the danger that if these practices are not voluntarily ended, they may be stopped by a form of action which may prove very unpalatable to them, and a state of affairs brought about which, to say the least, they would find very little to their liking. Reasonable Chinese will fully realize that, though they may not approve of the action which has now been taken, it is really in their own interests that the neutrality of the International Settlement and the French Concession should be fully maintained. If it is not, the second state may very well be much worse than the first. The actions of Chinese terrorists within the foreign areas cannot, however, be separated from the general lawlessness existing in districts close to Shanghai under Japanese control. Mr, R. A. Butler, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, has stated in the House of Commons that the attention of [he Japanese Government has been drawn to the effect of such chaotic conditions upon the maintenance of peace and good order within the areas covered by the proclamation, but up to the present there does not appear to have been evidenced that sympathetic approach to a solution of the whole problem which should be expected from Tokyo.
That is an aspect of the matter which does not yet appear to have received the attention it should. The authorities of the French Concession, and the International Settlement have given every possible indication of their willingness to ce-operate with the Japanese, and have been doing their utmost to meet the desires of the latter. But up to the present the only ce-operation which has been noticeable has been in the form of criticism, and renewed demands almost incapable of being met, because of the failure of the Japanese authorities to reciprocate by the restoration of peace and good order in the districts which are solely under their control. Obviously if the environs of Shanghai are the hotbed of crime and disorder which they are well known to be, the facility with which bad characters can move in and out of Shanghai must make the task of maintaining order in the foreign areas more than a little difficult. Refusal to ce-operate in the areas served by the extra-Settlement roads is one of the main reasons why a better state of affairs cannot be brought about. The remedy here is entirely in the hands of the Japanese, and the general situation has to be viewed in the light of the fact that for a considerable time past there has been more criticism than ce-operation. It is as well that these things should be said, especially in view of this latest demonstration of the wil lingness of the authorities responsible for the proclamation to do everything which could be reasonably expected of them. They are entitled to expect from the Japanese authorities whatever assistance is necessary in carrying out the difficult and intricate task with which they are faced. Absence of that assistance suggests that Japanese criticisms are something more sinister than mere caprice, and if the opinion is formed that cooperation is not forthcoming because for reasons of their own the Japanese desire to see the authorities of the French Concession and the International Settlement fail in their endeavours to maintain strict neutrality, nobody need be in the least surprised. Tests of sincerity can, and should be applied in two directions,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.