To the Baltor of the "Nowrit-Cuina Dany News"
Sin an editorial which appeared in a Shanghai newspaper this morning a certain note of surprise Was expressed at the statement of the Japanese Minister Tani when address-jing the Iiallan Economic Mission to Japan to the effect that Italian cooperation in the work of rehabliitation of China would be welcome.
This attitude of surprise seems strange and singularly inadequate to the Importance of such statement, inasmuch all foreigners should feet retilled at such an invitation, which Shows a sincere desire on the part of the Japanese to encourage the investment of foreign capital in that portion of Chinese territory of which the Japanese Military is now in occupation.
As regards to the doubt expressed by the said editorial to Italian incapacity to invest capital abroad, such a declaration seems out of place: considering the fact that Italy is a great Power in full development and this also in the economic field. In any case it Is childish to base an opinion upon such a poor statement fas the one expressed in the "Current History," reported by the paper in Question, because conditions of life for the poorer classes are miserable all countries, including the very leh ones. To this purpose one needs only to observe the distressing conditions of the millions of unemployed. and paupers both in Great Britain fand the United States of America. The Italian people are provided with li they require for the development fof their material and. spiritual life. Tt would therefore be a gross error to interpret the traditional and noble frugality of the Italians as a sign of. an insuMelent standard of living.
However, how can one be surprised of stich errors on the part of the author of "Current History," when he seems, for instance, to interpret the Serene and familiar scene of the gathering in the country of the well-Known table sands, much appreciated by gourmets, which grow abundantly and in a natural state in the fertile folds of Ttaly, as the extreme resource fof a starving population who, according. to his interpretation, should be forced to gather "every conceivable kind of edible herb" in order to have some nourishment, Shenghai, May 4.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.