Year's Eve, the Union of the Imperial Army and Navy will hold its traditional gala-ball, which always draws the highest circles in the city, representatives of the official authorities, and. jhe flower of the colony. As the whole proceeds of this ball go to the upkeep of the Shelter and Soup Kitchen for the poorest ex-servicemen and their families, this ball has always been widely patron-lized by both Russian and foreign circles. The Committee is energetic. cally working to make this Year's bali as interesting as possible. A floor show. is being arranged, crowned by a special New Year number, the exact nature-of which will not be disclosed until performed sharp at midnight. The best forces of the Russian Ballet as well as many members of Russian high society will else take part in the programme.
General and Professor M.A. Inos. trantzeff, well known in local military circles for his role in the Civil War in Siberia, has died in Prague. Gen. Inostrantzeft began service in the Finnish Guards, and later, after graduating from the Military Academy wrote his famous work on Field-Marshal Bagration, one of the conquerors of Napoleon! During the Great War Gen. Inostrantzeff resigned from professoriate of the Academy _|and_ became head of a Divisional Staff at the front. Later he held a Prague Gen. Inostrantzeff often made frequent lectures, commanding as 8000|he did great eloquence as well as 43.00) military. knowledge.
Russians are beginning to try "299 their strength at writing stories in Russian Churches. The Public Fund not only goes towards running the Soup Kitchen for hundreds of desstitutes, but also makes it possible to rent out inexpensive rooms, give free medical service and pay school fees for indigent Russian pupils in various schools.
With the coming of the New Year the thoughts of Russians are gently toying with the question: in how many places will they have to register themselves for what forms of passports? Will the registration of Russians living in the French Concession, they ask themselves, be carried out the same as last year? The point naturally arises: why, in registering Russian emigres, do not the authorities include in this registration refugees of other countries? And, pursuing the point, why this attention of authorities of various designation to Russians, and speci-tically to emigres to whom each registration and re-registration first and foremost means an outlay of money? Settled down in Shanghai perhaps for good, Russians would appreciate nothing so much as to be allowed to follow their own course.
Paying. proper respect to all authori-Mies, they would nevertheless like to fully conserve their neutrality, which point Mr. Charles Metzler, Chairman of the Emigrants' Committee, recently brought up by advising them not to concern themselves with matters which are none of their affair.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.