There are, 1 know, thousands of British subjects throughout China who are anxious at this time to place their lives and their resources at the Alsposal of their country. Merely by living our lives in the spirit of greater moderation and frugality many of us can contribute more than we are already doing. But we feel, and we feel quite rightly, that this is not enough and Tam going to put before you a proposal upon which I have been working.
Since my return to Shanghai I have been deeply Impressed by the wide~ spread eagerness of British subjects here—an eagerness which, I am sure, shared by every British community. throughout China—to make a greater and more tangible contribution to-Wards the cost of the war. As I sce it, all thal that fs wanted is a lead to put this eagerness into immediate fect. I am going to allow myself the privilege of giving you this Head. Tam going to appeal to all British subjects and all British firms in China, who are not already called upon to make direct contributions to the Trea~ sury, {9 make a contribution now, when it is needed most. I mean a contribution made of their own free As I have said, f record it as a privilege to put this appeal before you, for I know that you have been wailing for something of the kind and that, for that reason, it will meet with, Wholehearted response.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.