To the Editor of the "NomrH-CuiNA Dairy News'
JSi—It is with great regret that I have read Mr. Marc GREENE's letter in today's correspondence column.
I think that I am not wrong in assuming that most of the thinking, intelligent Russians of the better class in Shanghai think it most deplorable for a certain part of the Russian community to be engaging in politics. It seems to me that only a very small percentage of Russians here have not Yet "learned their lesson," and those are mostly people of no account, The assumption that the 300-400 Russians who were reported by the "N.C.D.N." to have taken part in the "anti-communistic" meeting at the Astor House recently represent the Russian community in Shanghai is very unjust. Personally, my husband, I myself, and young people of our acquaintance, though with definite democratic sympathies, engage in no polities, ate afraid and ashamed of the political clubs, their squabbles among themselves and with others, and our efforts are directed towards making ourselves honest and respected members of the community.
The efforts of Mx. GREENE to promote sympathy for the Russian emigrants in general are surely appreciated, It is a pity that so hasty a conclusion should undo the work of a considerable period of time. In my opinion it is the duty of our true foreign friends to clarify to others the unfortunate position in Shanghai of many deserving, working Russians who are not to be compared with bums and criminals who are a terror to the Russians in Tientsin, Harbin, and now is it to be in Shanghai?
Min. Greene speaks of "numerous chefs of the Czar, ladies-in-waiting to the Czarina," etc. as having good positions in America, But is it not due to the fact of their taste, culture and talents, especially in music, their superior linguistic abilities and adaptability, rather than to the fact that some of them have a title?
And last, but not least, may I be permitted to ask the question: Why is it then, that when engaging a Russian to a position formerly held by their own national, representatives of these democratic nations find it honest to offer him or her a salary three, four times smaller?
It is with the hope that Mx. GREENE may, reconsider his hasty conclusion and remain a friend always that I sign myself.
Arse A Russian.
Shanghai, Nov, 8.
Toute (French Concession), and. I tüink it might serve a useful purpose if the details of the occurrence are given publicity in your columns' in cider to provide a warning to passengers of both sexes who use these buses.
I boarded the bus in question at the terminus on Avenue Edward VII opposite the AP.C. building about 645 p.m. It was then practically empty, and I was able to obtain one of the corner seats in the back of the bus, these being in my opinion the two most desirable ones in these vehicles. All the windows on each side of the bus were half-open. During the journey up Avenue Edward VII many Chinese passengers entered and took seats, and by the time we turned into the Boulevard de Montigny the bus was quite full but not overcrowded. At the stopping-place on Boulevard de Montigny immediately before it crosses Rue clu Consular, a short pause was made for the purpose of setting down and picking up passengers, I should have mentioned that on the double-seat directly in font of me and next one of the windows was a young and well-dressed Chinese, wearing foreign-style clothes, and I had previously noticed that he was wearing a smart new felt hat.
Just as the bus was about to resume its journey, a youthful Chinese in a black gown suddenly appeared outside the window alongside the above-mentioned Chinese passenger. He grasped the window with both hands and immediately jerked himself up from the roadway before I could fathom his intention.
Having done so, he instantly shot his left arm across the window and into the bus, and after having snatched and secured the hat from the Chinese gentleman's head he dropped back to the roadway with his booty and vanished into the darkness, By this time the bus was already on the move, so it was impossible for the victim to take any action towards recovering his lost headgear, but he seemed to take his loss in a most extraordinarily philosophical way and was even able to assume quite a nice and cheery smile. I entered into conversation with him, offering my sympathy and expressing my regret that, although I had seen the thief suddenly appear at the window and grip it, things had then happened so quickly that I bad no time to convey a warning.
The gentleman then remarked to me that it was certainly rather hard luck, especially as he had purchased the hat only on the previous day and kad paid $16 for it, but that the occurrence had taught him a lesson which would not be quickly forgotten.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.