New-York tribune., 1918-01-06
\ Place of Progress and
\ Efficiency and Culture

"In the city are fine government buildings
churches, clubs, hotels, stores, and an area
of ugly but homelke warehouses. By far
the greater part of all the population is
Chinese. Singapore town is full Of the char
acteristic Chinese roofs. Many well-to-do
live in villas outside the town, but there are
town clubs and country clubs, for other good
solid purposes in addition to the good, solid
purpose of promoting social relationships
The English, the other Europeans the Chit
ncse and the Malays in Singapore know how
to keep fit by the wise use of recreation. All
these races have their athletic organizations
combining the physical cultivation with the
social. Athletic diversion seems part of
the efficient life Of Singapore
"Out the hill and over the island of
Singapore are bungalow homes, bungalow
clubs, and "chummeries"-th latter distinc-
tive of the way that bachelor representatives
of English commercial concerns live while
stationed for specific terms Of duty at Singa-
pore. There is yachting, cricket, golf and
motoring. beautiful tour is the moon
light ride across the island (about Ia miles)
to the water that divides it from Johore,
where. in the native city, there are frequent
night festivals of thousands Of twinkling
lights, fireworks and music.
almost as striking as the display of Brit
ish genius for going to the far ends of the
world and doing things, seen at Singapore, is
the Chinese capability for enterprise, in a
big way in foreign land which one sees
everywhere in the Malay Peninsula and the
East Indies. In fact, in the industrial and
commercial phases Of the development of the
region the Chinese were there first, and have
done fully much anybody else. 1t is a
side of Chinese character not usually recog-
nized
"The Chinese were the worlds pioneer pro-
/ ND of IT:
came from China, far as is known, and
| Chinas part in the Bronze Age must have
been very big one The Chinese probably
/ prospected' the Malay tin mines. They were
there very early, and both the Chinese min
crs and the British East India Company
first carried the Straits tin to China for
smelling.
And to this day upward of so per cent of
the Straits tin is said to be mined by Chinese
enterprise. The Chinese far outnumber all
the other races combined in this part of the
world. There are Chinese there whose fore
bears for several generations have never
seen China, but they are still Chinese, in
language, religion, habits and spirit. They
helped finance the Chinese revolution. for
the Straits Chinese are a remarkably pro-
gressive people.
"They are educated They control most of
the retail trade Of the neighborhood They
have splendid villas (the rich Chnese) out
side Singapore, and their motor cars are as
good any Europeans. They virtually con-
troll the open-cast tin mining Of the Straits
and Chinese stock companies as we'll as Brit
ish operate underground workings. The
Straits-born Cinnamon, called 'Babas,' are
constantly recruited by immigrant coolies
who come by hundreds of thousands from
| China, recruited by organized means, pro-
tecred by special government system, and
having their own labor unions through
which they exercise a very intelligent super
vision over conditions Of work and get the
market value Of their contribution to the
production of tin and rubber in the enter.
prises conducted on the large scale. They
have their social, athletic and mutual or.
ganizationA"