By "Smoy"
Shanghai, July 21.
Nowadays, Russians in" Shanghat and Harbin' are interwoven by a thousand ties, as they always have been for many years past. 'The main reason for the close bands between the Russians in the two cities is that most of those now living in Shanghai wore once residents of Harbin. 'The younger generations have, for' years ast, been migrating to Shanghai to try their luck in this supposed "town of opportunity." Not, being able to earn enough money to send for their parents, the younger generations usually' live on in Shanghai, barely eking out an existence and wishing they were back in Harbin. Their parents in that city usually have their own little piece of land or business. Some own shops, confectioneries are milliners; others run import and export firms or deal in banking and mance, Home Town An this respect Harbin has always fulfted the role of the home town, and Shanghai, that of the colony: Besides the offlelal import and export business carried on, the Russians in both: cities have always engaged in a personal, unofficial trading system. Harbin, like the rest of Manchuleuo and Japan, lacks imported feminine and "masculine toilet accessories. Shanghai would like to have th many Russian gastronomic delicacies that are still obtainable in Harbin. The conclusion is simple, A travel-or from Shanghai to Harbin takes with him many and various assort~ ments of American make-up, powd-es, perfumes and soaps. A new: comer from Harbin, on the other liliand, comes into. Shanghai loaded down with Harkin jam, cheese, Eutter, pickles and smoked fish. All these Latter articles of food are proneed in Shanghai as well, but there is a certain something about the Harbin product that makes the Russian Shanghailander always prefer it, Shanghai's artistic talent often makes tours to. Harbin, and, only recently, there were some representatives of'Harbin's artistry in Shanghai name, the Russian Dramatic Theatre. In the Harbin newspapers there is a great deal written on Russlan_activities in Shangh sian newspapers in Shanj Section devoted to Harbin news every day. With the increase in the coat of living in Shanghat there has been a similar increase in Harbin. Peculiar, however, is the fact, that Ju that ity there are rumours going around of the cheapness of goods and necessities in general in Shang! We have received news from Harbin that many ladles from that city are preparing to come to Shanghai dur-Ing. the autumn months to replenish their wardrobes because the Imports tion into Harbin of various "dainty items and luxuries of women's wear 4s prohibited, Housing Problems 'Russian residents in Shanghai, sufTocated by the critical rooming' situation, read with great interest of the solution discovered by a countryman in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, A former navy officer, this enterprising Russian bought' an old barge and, with his wife, has settled down and' start-house-keeping on it. As. time went on he constructed' cabins, a dining room, a kitchen, bed-rooms and even a bath-room. He now has a radio and enjoys the comforts and luxuries "of home, Created through his own personal labour, his new home cost him only 5,000 dinars. Tt was evidently so attractive that similar ventures soon followed it, and now, between two bridges on' the River Sava, there has grown a oating emigrant community of no mean proportions. Rent is non-existent, for in Belgrade taxes are not levied for boats moored alongside the shore. Because Shanghai differs from Belgrade in this and many other repects, it is very doubtful whether the Russians in this city could follow the example of their brothers in Belgrade, the guests invited were: Mr. and Mrs. RH. Parker, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Metzler, Mr. and Mrs. M. Y. Diamant, Mr, and Mrs. V. O. Remedios, Mr. and Mrs, W. E. Ulanov, Mr, and Ins. BE. K. Mokaroff, Dr. and Mus. 1, D. Kaiazoft, Mr. and Mrs. B, Korniloft, Mr. Z. Tokarjevsky. Mr.
Amnoldov, Mr, I. Mironov, Mrs. L. Meredith, Mr. Zalle, Mrs. Royer, Mr. Happer, Mr, Valin and Mrs. Orlov-
Surprising Find Near the latter part of last year Russian employee of one of the foreign firms whose godowns are situated in Pootung, on the other side fof the Whangpoo, was walking along the river bank when he noticed 3 peculiarly shaped object half hidden by-a few inches of muddy Whangpoo water, On. grasping the object he found, to his. surprise, that it was uncommonly heavy, and when he picked it up, he discovered, to his Emazement that it was made of iron, 2 beautifully cast, double headed eagle, emblem of the Russian Empire. The lines were in bold relief and the whole was east-in the "Alexandre" style, with widely outstretched wings. 'The emblem, probably having lain in the water for a considerable time, was heavily covered with rust, but was otherwise undamaged." Discoverer of the eagle, which, when Weighed Was found to' be 60 Ibs. was Col. Zaherenko, during the War an acer in the Imperial Army, and member of Her Majesty's "Own Siberian Rifles, One can imagine the heart-throb experienced by the old warrior when he made his extra~ ordinary discovery. He immediately, informed the Russian War Invalids' Association and the emblem Was taken there to be polished and have new coat of bronze applied. Today it hangs over the door of the once of the Association, which also happens to be a veritable Russian war Tnuseum, Something that will remain mystery for ever is the method in which this emblem of the Russian empire found its way to the muddy bottom of the Whangpoo, It is possible that it was thrown overboard from a Russian ship at the outbreak of the Revolution, but to say anything definitely is impossible.
'The Russian Students' Association held'a "White Ball" at the Russian. Club on July 14, which was attended not only by the students but by Graduates of local schools as well. Many of the latter are preparing to continue their studies in local Univer sities.
Registration of Associations Mz, Charles Metzler, chief representative of the Russian community called a meeting of other representa tives of the local colony on 'Tuesday, July 1, In his report Mr. Metzler Informed the audience that' 67 asso-lations and unions, social, profession-'a}, and charitable, have been refistered in the Russian Emigrants' Committee, This shows that all the rum-Ours stating that the registration was compulsory are unfounded, Dr. A.
Fane, President of the Russian Medical "Society, declared in his speech that Mr. Charles Metzler, having been appointed a consul to Shanghai since the days of Imperial Russia, wields the same power Shanghai today, as do Ambassador Maklakott in. Paris or Charges} @Affaires B, V. Sablin in London. For many years Mr. Charles Metzler, after the death of Mr. V. F. Grosse, the late Consul General, hias been ro-presenting the Russian community Before the varies consular bodies and. the municipal authorities, and he has always. fulllled his responsibilities feMeiently. The Russian population Yooks on her, Metzler with great faith and gratitude for the work and trouble he has put in, The general meeting decided to form a Council to solve charitable and educational problems. Besides these matters the Gouneit will look after the financial problems of the Russian Emigrants' Community.
Social Affair Russians in Hongkew Mr. P. S. Grigorieft, owner of a arge and popular local store, gave a dinner at, the Ateadia in honour of Mr. and Mrs, R. H. Parker on July 12," Mr. Grigorieft made a speech during which he noted that Mr. Parker, in his capacity as President of the' China Finance Corporation, was interested in his firm not only from the business-man's point of view, but also from that of the social worker, Later in the meal, Mr. Charles Metzler made a speech and pointed out the fact that Mr. Grigorion had always been a very good example of the Russian trades~ man and, during bs career, has held igh the' name of Russian commerce the Far East.
The menu was filled with Russian delicacies and the table, arranged in the shape of a horse-shoe, was beautifully adorned with flowers. Among.
At the present time there are at. east two thousand Russians living in the Wayside district, "In the terraces which are run by the Japanese Society, one can obtain a flat of three rooms for a rental of 25 Yen per month, Others, not owned by the 'Tapanese, are a little more expensive, ut on the whole the rents are much cheaper than in the Concession or the Setllement. The branch of the Russian Bmigrants' Committee situated in Wayside, under the head of Col. N, Serejnikoff, is helping the Ru: sions to become registered and to change their old passports for new ones. It also carries on benevolent work amongst the needy. In Wayside there are now quite a few Russian shops and restaurants and the Russians have their own bakery, sausage factory, engineering works, two drug stores and many other enterprises.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.