The attitude of the British section was all the more surprising, continued the spokesman, because it hinted of economic feudalism, which should not exist among people who pride themselves upon being a democratic nation, Reform of the International Settlement administration on a more international basis was the common platform of the Japanese candidates, he said, and the lack of such international basis was pointed out in "Mr. Justice Feetham's report, The spokesman admitted that the British created the Settlement and that later the American concession was joined to it to become the International Settlement, but that was 100 years ago and conditions had changed since then. It was only by proportionate- representation that the future prosperity, welfare and peace of the Settlement could be achieved, and that is what the Japanese candidates are seeking, No one in Shanghai today, he continued, will admit that the administration and finances of the Shanghai Municipal Council are without defects. Certain reforms have to be carried out and this is the feeling of the Japanese community, The status quo cannot be maintained when it is full of glaring defects,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.