With the outbreak of hostilities in North China, even before the danger fof their spread to the Shanghai area was realised, confidence was dissipated. From the end of duly onwards there began a movement to remove machinery and goods from Hongkew and Yangtszepoo areas. With the outbreak of hostilities August 13 all factory premises ceased operation in the two affected localities, fund the ensuing critical days saw also the closing of all factory premises in the Western, Northern and. Central districts.
By. the middle of September all of the Chinese and British cotton mills inthe Western district and Outside Roads areas had begun partial operations, attempting in the first place day shifts, and" then, as confidence H-dually returned, extending to night} work. Since many of these mills were in the immediate vicinity of the Soochow Creek, it required no little courage on the part of the women workers (0 continue work when bombing planes flew overhead daily for many hours. The dangers are fllusteated by the fact that outside one cotton mill two bombs fel, destroying a railless car and killing fall the occupants, Four shells fell in another million, whose compound there were at the time 2,000 workers, it being approximately 6 pin. when hange of shift was in progress: the neldent was miraculously. without casualties, The mill undertook repairs and was in operation within three days, Though at times because of particular cirqimstances Individual mills suspended night work, a full schedule was resumed as oon as: possible. Tt may safely be said that the operations of the cotton mills were the largest single factor in restoring belter conditions in the Western areas. They employed 20,000 workers, whose earnings supported many homes and possibly 100,000 persons,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.