THE SHANGHAI PROBLEM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21365, 19 June 1931, Page 8

THE SHANGHAI PROBLEM.

The question of extraterritoriality in Shanghai presents a problem of the greatest difficulty, and has ramifications much more Avidespread than may generally be supposed. It is not merely a question Avhether the foreigners residing in the International Settlement and the French Concession should be subject to the common Irav of China, but a question also of the status of the Chinese avlio live in the extraterritorial areas. Actually the Chinese are in an overwhelming majority over foreigners living in the international areas which constitute the wealthy portion of the greatest commercial city in China. These Chinese receive the protection of the extraterritorial PoAvers, and are not amenable to the Chinese Government. At the same time, although they contribute more than half the rates of the international area, they have almost a nominal representation in the Municipal Council which governs the city. With a vieAV to having light throAvn on perplexing problems confronting it the Municipal Council a year ago invited a distinguished South African, Mr Justice Fecthara, to advise it. The particular concern of the Council Avas lest the declared policy of the treaty PoAvers to relinquish gradually their extraterritorial privileges in China would raise problems of peculiar difficulty in Shanghai. Mr Justice Feetham consented to visit Shanghai on the condition that he was allowed to furnish an “ unfettered report,” Avhieh Avould be made public. The first part of his report, containing an outline of the history and developments of the Shanghai problem, was issued some weeks ago. In it he stated that Avhile extraterritoriality complicates the enforcement of the law in Shanghai, it is also the chief guarantee of its enforcement. The later portion of his report, containing his conclusions and recommendations, has noAV been published, and the cabled resume gives a clear indication of its nature. The important points are his emphatic declaration that the abolition of extraterritoriality is “ unthinkable ” at present, though it is eventually inevitable; that the maintenance of a foreign military defence foi’ce is essential; and that the Chinese in Shanghai must not be alloAved to secure a majority vote in the administration of the International Settlement —that is, in the Municipal Council. The report must be distasteful to the Chinese National Government, which is attempting to establish itself as the Government of China in fact as it presently is in name, but it will doubtless be Avelcomed by the foreign peoples in Shanghai, and most probably also by the Chinese in the extraterritorial area. The foreign interests in Shanghai are of immense importance, and the protection of them Avould be difficult were not the city, as an international area, Avatched over by potent Powers, while the wealthy Chinese regard foreign Shanghai as the only part of China in which their lives and possessions are immune from the attentions of bandits and war lords. The treaty PoAvers are not, of course, bound, nor is the Chinese Government, to take cognisance of Mr Justice Feetham’s report, which has been prepared at the instigation of the Municipal Council alone. The foreign Governments cannot, hoAvevcr, afford to ignore it. Their attitude to the struggling Government of China in its urgent representations that extraterritoriality should be abolished has been, and must remain, sympathetic. Nevertheless, it would seem to be extremely unwise, in the face of emphatic recommendations of a distinguished international jurist, whose reputation is a guarantee of his impartiality, for the treaty PoAvers to sacrifice their suzerainty of Shanghai, Mr Justice Feetham’s belief is obviously that it is only through extraterritoriality, Avhieh enables the foreign PoAvers to protect the city, that Shanghai can be guaranteed security from invasion by lawless Chinese hordes. There is another consideration, with which the Chinese Government may console itself, that its acquisition of territorial rights in Shanghai would make its task of maintaining some semblance of order the more difficult, and might even lead to the destruction of the city which furnishes the chief ground in China where the Western and Oriental peoples can safely meet for the purposes of trade.