Shanghai, Aug. 22.
'AYER Fu Siao"en, in a letter to the Consular Body and the Shanghai Municipal Council, yesterday urged ce-operation with the City Government of Greater Shanghai in order to prohibit speculation in rice by war profiteers, The most effective way to curb this profiteering, according to the Mayor of the Ta Tao regime, would be to hand over the jurisdiction of the First and Second Special District Courts to the Ta Tao authorities.
The full text of the letter follows:—
'With reference to dur letter dated June 22, we take pleasure to request your ce-operation in the effort to standardize the local sales prices of tice and to prohibit the extraordinary accumulation' of rice by certain deal-erg for. speculative purposes. We hope that you will adopt our suggestion in order to safeguard th supplies of the community. At present, the price of rice has risen by Teaps and "bounds so that the sale price of each picul has actually attained the high Point of more than thirty dollars, "Such a steep rise has surpassed all previous records and may continue without recess. If certain drastic steps are not taken cooperatively and urgently to make an effective arrangement or control at this very moment then the people of this community—especially those classes who are obliged to live from hand to mouth—may not be able to secure their daily sustenance. Such 2 state of affairs' would undoubtedly seriously affect the livelihood and welfare of the community.
We have ascertained from reliable sources that the rise in price movements is not due to the lack of stocks in store or the insufficiency of supplies, but due to the action of war profiteers who accumulate and hoard stocks for speculation, The off tial organizations of the Muni cipal Council and French Municipal dent gravity the important Urgent problems of food supply of the community. and no adequate measures have been taken to check the rise of prices, If Courts Were Returned in. view to the suffering of the multitude, it is a matter of particular concern to me as Mayor of the City Government of Greater Shanghai. 1 can not betray my duty. It would Seem that food profiteers are able to carry out their nefarious exactions because they are sheltering under the extraterritorial cloak of the administrations of the Settlement and Concession. If the City Government had the control of the Special District Courts. in the Settlement and. the Concession then the war profited would have to check their activities or risk submitting themselves (0 1 most vigorous punishment for their. misdeeds, From the record of the past, we know very well that these Courts have been under the control and management of the National Government. They have never taken any action in restricting and prohibiting the speculation on bonds, cotton yarns, gold bars and other commodlties of speculative business, The facts are that all or few influential ofcials of the National Government have deep interests and intimate relations speculative affairs, Any steps of restriction or prohibition have threat. ened to affect the judicial careers of the judges in charge in the Courts, For this reason, the speculative tendency of the general public has been ever since encouraged and therefore, the speculative market has carried fon the deals as usual. Now. such tendency has attained its highest Point as the speculators apply the Process of speculation even to rice, the daily food supply of the mul-
New Ship Scene of Festive Gathering Shanghai, Aug. 24.
The m.
Tyitjalengka of the Java. China-Jay Line was the scene of food festive gathering last night, on the eve of her first trip of a regular schedule from Shanghai to the Netherland East Indies, a5 Captain De Jonge, skipper of the brand new layed host to. over heard on all sides as the visitors, most of them shipping men, made a thorough inspection of the ship from stem to stern, Visitors did not go thirsty on this tour of inspection as the two bars, tone forward in the frst class saloon fand the other aft on the Lido Deck, kept a running supply of drinks on hand "for all guests, From 4 p.m. the spick and span ship or took their ease at the tables grouped around the Swimming pool on the coo}, breezy after-deck.
"The 'Tyitjalengka, which has been built recently for' the J.C.J.L,, will get underway for Ball "and "other southern ports via Hongkong tomorrow afternoon, This will be her Arst trip on this run, on a regular schedule from Shanghai to the East Indies, The vessel as accommodation for 64 frit class passengers, and unique for a vessel of that size In that each cabin has its own bathroom. The cabins, both single and double, are cool and spacious, and in some cases are connecting 30 that suite may be formed,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.