Assistance in Meeting Cost of Fare Expected From Government Anxiety Felt by Residents Shanghai, Oct. 23.
a city buzzing with rumour and guess-work about American evacuation scheme and alarm at the reported price of passage the facts as they stand at the moment were definitely ascertained from the officials'in Shanghai who are in charge of evacuation plans.
Fares for the Monterey and Mariposa have been fixed at 'U.S.$395 from Shanghai to the Pacific Coast while the journey in the Washington will cost U. $450.
As far as fares are con= cerned there will be only one class but those who must sleep on cots will be charged U.S.$50 less than the standard fare.
These prices were quoted yesterday by an official of the American President Lines which is acting as agent for the three evacuation ships. These are the fares set by the owners of the ships, the Matson Line and the United States Line, What arrangements will be made for the many Americans unable 10 pay the full fare Is not yet known, Both collectively and. individually, Americans in the Far East have been sending messages to Washington asking that something be done about the fares. The commitices of the American Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce here have also been active in this direction but as yet, according to a Consular offeial, hho indication of the Government's intentions has been received here, with regard {0 the financing of those tunable to pay for their own evacta~ tion. The Consular official anticipated that some arrangement would be made as was done in 1937 when funds were provided to send Americans to Manila and even to send some to the United States. Me added that evacuating, Americans from Europe recently, the government had not al-Tewed financial embarrassment to bar evacuation, taking many passengers who were unable to pay any part of their, fares It is learned that every effort is be~ Ing made by those organizations to secure as speedily as possible the adoption of suitable plans to enable 'Americans to follow' their Government's advice to leave China at this time.
To this end cables have been sent to the State Department, Washington, urging that ample accommodation in all' classes be provided at regular trans-Pacific rates with special low cles for transportation on household goods, and that financial assistance be given to evacuees when necessary.
is further learned that evacuation problems are being given first consideration by the American Association and American Chamber of Commerce Committees and that they hope te be able to issue in the near future statement giving definite information that a satisfactory plan has been adopted.
Assistance Expected AIL U.S. Navy, Mai In view of the fact that a fairly Jayge percentage of Americans here cannot pay the prices stipulated and the present agitation that the situa tion "be mitigated somehow, it was expected in informed quarters here that Government assistance would be forthcoming.
The Monterey is due in Shanghat fon November 1 after reaching Yoko-rama about October 30. The fare from. Shanghai to San Francisco will be U.S, $395 for cabin accommodation or USS345 for a col. It estimated that this ship, like the Mariposa, can carry about 1100 pas-congers with cote placed in public rooms, ote, It was emphasized yesterday that there will be no other lasses or fares on this ship.
A long interesting trip is in store for those in the Monterey for she 'Will sail from Shanghai to San Fran cisco via Manila, Sydney, Auckland, Subs, Page Pare, and Honolulu, a Snurney requiring' over thirty days.
With regard to the Mariposa, the route and time are not yet definitely fixed but she will come to Shanghai and Chingwangtao and the fares to the Paeifle Coast will be the same fas those in the Monterey.
The sx. Washington of the United States Line is due in the Orient about November 19, being now on the way. from New York via the Panama Canal, the Pacific Coast, and Hawaii, She "hax only first class passage accommodation, it was stated esterday by the agents in, Shanghai, rud the fare from here to the Pacific Coast "will be USSi50." The "fare will be the same for the most luxury ous rooms and the least attractive.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.