THE CITY OF SHANGHAI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21119, 29 February 1932, Page 6

THE CITY OF SHANGHAI.

BY J. 0.-L.

'AN OASIS OF SECURITY.

EXTRATERRITORIAL RIGHTS.

ASPECTS OF CHINESE RULE.

The main principles on which the International Settlement system in Shanghai is based are self-government and rule of law. The results of the application of these two principles are security, improvement of the general conditions of life, and the growth and prosperity of the settlement. Owing/to the forces at present available for the protection of the settlement and to the fact that in the settlement the rule of law is maintained on the basis of the treaty provisions, the settlement enjoys a degree of security that cannot at present be provided in centres under Chinese control.

As regards protection against violence and disorder, and the safeguarding of personal rights, including rights of property, the settlement depends to-day on the support of foreign nations, and is based on treaties between China and the foreign Powers, and the preservation of rights is attained by international cooperation in opposing the aggression of the Chinese. Demands of Chinese Nationalism. Since the establishment of the Republic of China there has developed a gradual and persistent demand for the rendition to the Chinese of the Treaty ports, Shanghai inclusive —rendition in the sense that the extraterritorial rights enjoyed by foreigners should be relinquished and the city handed over to Chinese control. Unfortunately while the British Labour Government was in power these demands •were conceded in other instances (Hankow. Weihaiweithis is the kernel of the troubles in China to-day—the rendition of extraterritorial rights or " extrality," as it is called in the East. The prosperity in China to-day is the result of the security given to tne trade and finance of the country by the " extrality" bf the investor, the trader, the banker, and their respective servants. In Shanghai, as the result of " extrality," there has been built up an education system; there is a system of public -works; there is a public safety department consisting of fire, police and defence corps: there is a water conservancy similar to the Auckland Harbour Board; there is a public headth department, and regulated water, power, light and transport systems, and all the public utilities and' amenities to be found in any great city. In fact, there is an honest and efficient use of public money in the public interest that does not prevail, nor is likely 4o prevail, in any area under Chinese control. ' No single instance can be cited where rendition has been a success, and in every case where there has been rendition there has been a state of retrogression. The Rule of Violence. The present trouble between China and Japan has arisen out of a want of security and the inability of the Chinese Government to preserve law and order. Ihe trouble arose in Manchuria, where a war lord giving only lip service to the Republic of China dominated the country with his soldiery. The Chinese soldier is loyal, perhaps, to his leader, but he does not understand loyalty, as we understand it, <o his country He is a realist." nto an " idealist. He ngnts for the immediate returns in pay or loot, and when not paid turns to loot and becomes an organised armed brigind and totally inesponsible, in possession of lethal weapons, and more often than rot deserted by his officers. Yesterday, more so to-day, it was not safe to go outside the limits of the International Settlement. Murctar, violence and" intimidation were to be expected by anyone who ventured over the ■vehite line of the boundary into China. One has only to recall the foul murder of young Thorburn last year by supposed disciplined soldiers under trained officers about 35 miles from the settlement; the murder on January 24 last of Dr. Porges only a few yards out of the settlement by a soldier who deliberately shot him in the back without justification of any kind; the intimidation by armed soldiers of a party of men and women out riding few yards from the settlement boundary shortly before the niurder of Dr. Porges. Most Chinese, perhaps, are lawabiding and peaceful individually, but the vounger generation are untrustworthy and truculent, and collectively are uncontrollable: witness the beating of their late Minister of Foreign Affairs at banking. Dangers to Life and Property.

In the event of complaint to the Chinese authorities, what is the answer ? It took, nine months to obtain a confession of murder in the Thorburn case, and there is only the statement of the Chinese Minister in charge of the Bureau of Public Safety of the Chinese Republic that the persons in fault have been punished. What is the answer given in Dr. Porges* case: "The rifle-of one of the soldiers suddenly exploded " —this again' from the Chinese Minister in charge of the Bureau of Public Safety. It is a common occurrence for a motorist who by accident so much as wobbles his wheel over the white line into China to find it difficult to regain his liberty under 12 or 14 hours, and to regain possession of his car under a week. It is no uncommon occurrence to find oneself looking down the muzzle of a loaded revolver in thfi hands of a Chinese soldier in trench hat and bullet-proof waistcoat just outside the settlement boundary. Such things happened before the excuse could be made tnat there was a war on. What would the conditions be in the settlement were it handed over to Chinese control ? It is only a few months ago that the Chinese demanded the right to enter any building within or without the settlement at any time. This was resisted to such an extent that it was not pursued, but if the settlement was handed over, reeistence would end in tragedy. Imagine what this would mean to the women of the settlement —armed Chinese searching houses at any hour, day or night. ' A Travesty of Justice.

There is no security in China outside 4he International Settlement. Neither goods nor land in the settlement can be seized' or expropriated without due process of law. In adjacent Chinese areas and in Chinese cities property is seized without legal process and without compensation and military requisition and lootings are common. Taxation in the settlement is''only as approved by the taxpayers. In Chinese cities and areas taxes are arbitrarily imposed and .are levied at the whim of officials; in some cases collected two and three years in advance and a change of Government has invalidated the receipts given, with consequent loss to the payer. In Chinese cities courts are subject to political interference and are unable or unwilling to make their judgeffective In the settlement as things are there could not be greater efficiency, impartiality or freedom from political interference. Political or military interference is not permitted. In Hankow, since rendition'; all departments of the municipality have retrograded and abuses of many kinds are prevalent. Finally, as illustrative of what has happened to bring about the present liostilities is this advertisement in the Shun Pao of August 20. 1929:—"Goods confiscated by the Anti-Japanese Society will be offered for sale by auction from August 20 to August 30. The cargoes are divided into three classes; piece goods, cotton goods and sea products. ; Persons desirous of purchasing any of -these goods are requested to apply to the .office of the headquarters of the Kuomin•tang at Shanghai, Ling Ying Road (West iGate)." These goods were seized without legal process of any *kind outside the settlement area.