The growing influx of Jewish refugees from Central Europe into Shanghai is a feature of present political conditions which is already giving rise to considerable anxiety in local authoritative circles. During the past seventeen months the charity of Shanghai has been strained to the utmost by the demands which have been made upon it in order to care for the many thousands of Chinese refugees who sought shelter in the foreign areas immediately upon the outbreak of hostilities. Fortunately the large numbers which had to be cared for have considerably diminished, but there is still a large number of indigents who have to be fed and housed, and will probably continue to be in need until conditions are such that they will again be able to return to their homes in the country, but, even then, there will be the problem to be faced of supplying them with the wherewithal to resume earning their own livelihoods. There is also the probability that the longer present abnormal conditions are permitted to continue, the greater will be the danger of creating a definitely pauperized class with a perpetual demand upon the good nature of the community. The manner in which Shanghai has responded to the requests for assistance is something which redounds greatly to the credit of the various sections of the community, and during the last seventeen months the largepess of Shanghai's heart has been demonstrated in a manner which has astonished even those who realize how, charitably inclined it This present influx of refugees presents difficulties which have not existed in previous years when Shanghai has been called upon to do its best for them. The advent of the Russian refugees in their thousands following the revolution does not provide a parallel, for then there was only the one problem to be faced. Today the situation is complicated by the fact that Shanghai burdened with its own domestic difficulties arising out of the Sino-Japanese hostilities, is obliged by force of circumstances over which it has absolutely no control, to assume the responsibilities of caring for thousands of refugees from Europe who have nowhere else to go.
With well over a thousand refugees from Germany and Austria already in Shanghai the city is faced with the probability that with each successive ship from Europe more hundreds will be brought in, and it is confidently expected that by the end of March somewhere in the neighbourhood of 4,000 newcomers will have been added to the foreign community. That does not tell the whole tale, for it is obvious that even more than that may be expected during the ensuing months, and by the end of the year unless means are found for diverting them elsewhere that total may be very considerably swelled. Without being unduly alarmist it must be emphasized that the outlook is indeed grave, and almost superhuman efforts will be necessary if the new arrivals are to be cared for properly. With unemployment as it is at the present time, it is quite clear that the absorption of these refugees into the Shanghai labour market will be slow in the extreme. Amongst practically all nationals in Shanghai there is an uncomfortable amount of unemployment, and it is only to be expected that the various communities will give preference to their own nationals before the new refugees, so that the problem which is being created will be rendered all the more difficult of solution by the very fact that the process musi be slow. It is, of course, possible that many of the professional people will find an] outlet for their activities, but even here Shanghai is already so well stocked with men of expert ability that the inevitable competition which will be created must have a baneful effect upon the fortunes of those who have already established themselves. People less well equipped will undoubtedly find it more difficult to establish a niche for themselves, and it is this section of the newcomers which must present the greatest difficulty to those concerned for their welfare. In their case the labour market is hopelessly overstocked against them, while there is the very grave danger that, if people' at present in employment are displaced for racial reasons in favour of the refugees, a growth of anti-Semitism may be fostered which would be nothing short of deplorable.
It is quite clear to those who are undertaking the work of caring for those unfortunate people that the raising of the large additional sums of money required for the task is quite beyond Shanghai's ability, generous as it has been in the past. In this connection it is suggested that appeals will have to be made abroad for a share of the funds which are already being raised. Thus it is to be hoped that if a request is addressed to Earl Baldwin's Fund for Refugees for assistance it will be favourably considered, while undoubtedly similar appeals will be'made to the United States. It should be borne in mind that Shanghai's problem is merely a part of the general difficulty created by the flight of Jews from Central Europe, that Shanghai is having forced upon it a burden whith in its present circumstances it is wholly unable to handle unaided, and that unless help in very substantial proportions is forthcoming the condition of those people may become tragic in the extreme. The work which is already being done for the Chinese refugees in Shanghai must be continued. It: is indeed a first charge upon Shanghai's charity, and it cannot in fairness to the indigent Chinese, and in the interests of the whole community now to be discontinued, The case for outside help is consequently a strong one, and it is hoped that this will be realized abroad, for without very generous outside assistance Shanghai will find itself wholly incapable of doing anything more than a little towards alleviating this newly imported distress. This article is written in no sense disparagingly of the newcomers. It would be contrary to the good traditions of Shanghai if it did not do its utmost to care for them, but it must be emphasized that this difficulty which might have been taken in the city's ordinary stride in normal conditions, is aggravated by the peculiar circumstances in which Shanghai finds itself. Without very considerable help these people must inevitably starve, and most of that help will have to come to Shanghai from abroad.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.