To the Editor of the "Nortu-Cutwa Dairy News"
Sim—The front page of recent issues of your esteemed journal must have been read by British subjects in Shanghai with a feeling of ardent desire to do their utmost to supper. the cause we all have at heart.
A great many are contributing to the utmost extent of their resources, and many more to a lesser degree owing to the straightened circumstances in which they find themselves placed by the general collapse of financial markets. In the latter category is the much-to-be-pitied investor in Chinese External Bonds of the Chinese Republic. Vast sums have been invested in the different foreign issues of these bonds, and the distress caused, both here in China and in Britain and America, by the default in interest payments and redemption of the Bonds, is incalculable.
Although these bonds are a first charge on the entire revenue of the country, the Chungking Government has taken upon itself the right to shelve these legitimate liabilities, tut, in order apparently to protect their own nationals, and banking institutions, they are regularly paying interest upon Chinese Domestic Bonds, these issues having only secondary claims upon the country's revenue, Your esteemed paper took up the above point in a leader inserted in one of your earlier issues, but so far, the gross injustice suffered by the foreign bondholders has not been rectified, despite the fact that the Government concerned must be well aware of the true facts of the case.
During the annual meeting of the Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, held some time ago, it was intimated that more than a million pounds sterling was lying in certain: Banks, this sum having been set aside by the Chinese Government against eventual payments of dues upon the Bonds. Furthermore, it was stated that monthly sums representing a certain proportion of revenues collected, were being paid into the holding Banks, also for the above purpose. It must therefore be supposed that a considerable sum of money is lying somewhere, earmarked for eventual distribution.
It would therefore appear that. irrespective of revenues collected in occupied areas of China, some immediate solution should be sought to distribute the sums accumulated by the Chinese Government. Such action would be appreciated by the numerous investors concerned, alle-gain there indeed is, at my brother's expense? But the truth is, in destroy-my brother, I am also ruining elf, Had we been wise, we could e loved each other and lived together in peace. But such is the folly and perversity of man that nations must continue io engage in a war of bitter hate and mutual destruction, The Western nations profess to be Christian nations. Are they not acting in a way most un-Christlike, like a veritable enemy of Christ?
Buddhism give: us the principle of eternal link and ete nal retribution, The Chinese and thi Japanese, the British, the Americans the Germai the Russians: all are linked and related to one another in this world of ours, Is it rot our duty to make the best of that link? For remember, whatever good you do will bear good fruit; and whatever evil you commit will produce an evil fruit which injures none more than yourself. Love breeds love and hat" will be returned with hate, Disagreements and con-flies may arise between linked nations just as they may arise between members of the same family, between husband and wife, for inindividus! liberty indeed uphold divorce in case of incompatible marriage; but the wiser way is always to overcome disagreement with love and to do to the other party as you would have the other party do to you. Let there be forgiveness instead of divorce. In old China, the wife has no right of divorce. She belongs to her husband and must serve her as a slave, In the, world too, we see cases of slave nations inked with their masters, All such links are miserable links which sooner or later lead to fatal results. The principle of eternal retribution is infallible just as the law of gravitation is infallible.
Compared with the eternal bliss, the worldly gains and losses are nothing. Accowding to the teaching of Buddhism. every man has an eternal past and will have an eternal future. Your wealth, your family, your country, your wordly life itself: all this is not essential with you. The essential thing with you is your eternal spirit and your eternal ideals of truth, freedom and love. Follow these worthy ideals and realize your spirit: that is what you ought to-do.
Although I have never prayed in my life, I believe a sincere, earnest prayer is of great value to us. The Christians call on the name of Jesus Christ; the Buddhists repeat the name of A-Mi-Do-Ya: what difference does it make so long as the applicant has in mind some divine being who is highest, noblest and most worshipful?
Shanghai, Aug. 4.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.