My brief reasons for voting in the manner suggested above are as follows:—
(a) "For both American Candidates:—
This is your first and foremost duty and is fundamental in the interests of the whole community, not only on account of the large American interests in Shanghai and China, but, infer alia, on account of the splendid record of setvicé of, American, members of the Council, of their ability and impartiality, and not least of all on account of their democratic, their free and independent outlook, (b) "For myself," the British Independent Candidate:
I have expressed my views in my "Brief preliminary election address" and in my numerous and lengthy letters to the Press, and a summary Of possibly rather egotistical information concerning myself has also appeared in the Press. (c) "For three of the British Straw Vote Candidates":—-
The British are clearly entitled in my view on every ground to four members—myself and the three selected straw vote candidates. If I appear to have been invidious in their selection, it is due to the accursed methods of secrecy which prevail. We can only speculate as io the respective merits of each of the five from such information as the Council chooses to peddle out to us and from what we can glean from other sources.
(d) "For three of Candidates";— the Japanese The Japanese are in my opinion clearly entitled upon every ground to at least three members this year. and it has seemed to me and still seems downright. lunacy to suggest anything else—a lunacy not unlike that which led Britain to the loss of America. Even as long ago as about 1936 Í was firmly and openly in favour of an increase of Japanese representation on the Council from two to three; and all that has happened Mte that dae das only creased the valid crease. I cannot imagine anything more fatuous and more calculated to lead to a major disaster to British interests and the general interests of the Settlement than the adoption of an arrogant and wholly unreasonable attitude of blank obstruction to legitimate Japanese aspirations. The senseless and almost criminal suggestion that the election is a kind of dog fight to the death between occidental and oriental factions is so contemptible and so fraught with future and lasting dangers that it is incredible how any calm and balanced mind can for one momer entertain it, Let us all remember the Council's motto "Omnia junta in uno" and let sanity prevail It everyone were to follow this year my advice with regard to voting as set out above, there would be no trouble in Shanghai, there would be no humiliation, no bitter resentment, no friction, no lasting racial antagonism. It would mean the inauguration of an era of goodwill, of genuine ce-operation, of honest give and take, and mark the commencement of an era of unparalleied prosperity and progress for this great, this unique city of Shanghai, Immediate steps could then be taken, in conjunction with the Chinese, for drastic and fundamental' changes in the whole machinery and methods of government not only of the Settlement but of the surrounding districts, and it would not then be long before Shanghai became one of the greatest. if not the greatest of the cities in the world, Voters of every nationality, let us all ce-operate—let us work for harmony—I therefore urge you to give my advice at least a trial this year. It'can do no possible harm and might prove to be an undreamt of success.
In conclusion, let me say this that this letter is in complete harmony with my Preliminary Election Address, and is, in my opinion, the only public attempt at a statesmanlike solution of the grave perils which will confront the Settlement, if matters are allowed to drift from bad to worse.
RANALD McDONALD, Shanghai, Apr. 8.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.