This journal has already referred to the invasion of the residential district west of Shanghai, with the defence perimeter, by industrial concerns, and the grave danger that that area will become so industrialized that all-its present delightful amenities will disappear, and the residents forced farther afield. For the purpose of combatting that development, a body known as the Western (Extra Settlement) Association, has been formed, and it is hoped, that by their activities further encroachment will be prevented. i Dr. F; A. M. Noelting, addressing a meeting of the Association on Wednesday, graphically described all the bad effects of the invasion of residential districts by factories, and it requires no argument whatever to show that the presence of such undertakings, in such an area as that which is now threatened, will have a deleterious effect, not only upon the residences already in existence, and those which may still be contemplated, but will militate against the whole of Shanghai by the destruction of what should be a lung of large area to the west of the city. It would indeed be a tragedy if Shanghai eventually became ringed with factories. Already the air is laden with smoke and fumes carried across Shanghai when the wind is in the appropriate direction. From the southwest and west fresh air can be brought to the city by the breezes, but if encirclement is completed that will no longer be possible, and the already questionable atmosphere of Shanghai be subjected to continual pollution. It is apparent, therefore, that, apart from the general rule that properties purchased under certain safeguards as the zoning regulations of the Great Municipality of Shanghai, should receive the protection which those rules intended to give, - considerations of public health should weigh in the minds of those having control over the area, and persuade them to prevent this present development in the western district, The Chinese Zoning Regulations forbade the establishment of factories in the area bounded by Yuyuen Road, Keswick Road and Hungjao Road, and a glance at the map will show the reasonableness of the prohibition. That area is, of course, outside the boundaries of the International Settlement, and while the Municipal Council has control over the roads, the spaces between them were under the control of the Greater Municipality of Shanghai. That organism has now disappeared, and in its place the Ta Tao Government has commenced to function. It is a generally recognized doctrine that, when one government succeeds another, it will continue to retain in its policies all that was good in the policies of its predecessor; that is necessary for the continuity of administration, for chaos would soon result if each succeeding government threw overboard all that had been decided upon by that which preceded it. It is argued with considerable force that the Zoning Regulations referred to are excellent. Not only that, by their enactment they placed-a moral obligation upon whatever organism succeeded the Municipality of Greater Shanghai to continue them, not only because of the necessity- of maintaining the continuity of good government, but because the existence of those regulations induced inhabitants of Shanghai to invest in properties in the area concerned upon which they have built residences which they naturally expected to be allowed to enjoy in peace and comfort. That is a most important point, for it involves the good faith of the Ta Tao Government and whatever influence there is behind it. This journal does not believe for one moment that at present any question of bad faith arises. It is, and so is the generality of public opinion willing to believe that, in this period of organization, it has not yet been possible to pay attention to matters such as this. That may indeed be true, but the danger is that by the time the Ta Tao Government has completed its organization, the interests at present invading the district in question will so thoroughly have established themselves that all the harm feared will have been done.
It does not require many factories in so comparatively limited an area to wreak the havoc the promoters of the Association have in mind.
Dr. Noelting suggested that the Japanese authorities should be approached in the matter. The latter, realizing how severely factories are restricted to various areas in Japan, would undoubtedly sympathize with the anxieties of residents in the western district. There is no secret about it, for it has been apparent for some time, that at least a section of the Japanese authorities have been anxious regarding the very critical State of foreign public opinion vis-a-vis of certain local questions. The impression has been allowed to get abroad chiefly by acts of omission, that the Japanese authorities have been showing disregard of foreign interests in and around Shanghai. The instances which have tended towards the creation of that impression need not be given here; they are too well known. In some cases it may very well be that the Japanese have very good reasons for what they may or may not have done, but this matter of the Western District within the perimeter does not now, and never has involved any military considerations on the part of the Japanese. They could, by the gracious gesture- of persuading the Ta Tao Government to move in this matter, do, a great deal towards moderating' foreign opinion as it exists to-day. At the risk of over emphasis it must again be pointed out that the Japanese are not being asked to anything which would in any way prejudice them from a military point of view. They could in the interests of the political morality referred to above bring such influence to bear that the anxieties of residents in the Western Area would be removed once and for all. If they did so, it would be a very fine stroke, contributing greatly towards the harmony which ought to exist in this International Settlement, and at the same time replacing much of the distrust which is at present felt by a very real feeling of gratitude which such an action would arouse.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.