Evening star., 1924-11-30

Shanghai has municipal council of
nine members who derive their au-
thority from the treaties made by
the great powers with China. Though
located on Chinese soil, it owes no
allegiance to China except in the
payment Of about five dollars a year
for each acre of land in the settle
ment.
The nine members Of the council
are elected annually by the rate pay
ers' meeting. This meeting is COM
posed of all foreign residents of
Shanghai who own property or pay
rental of forty dollars q month or
upward. Each resident has a vote
for each piece of property he holds.
so that at the annual meeting seve-
raj persons are able to cast 20 or 80
votes.
After election the nine members
appoint one of their own number as
chairman and another as vice
chairman, but neither OF these two
members nor any member of the
council receives any compensation
for his services. The majority of the
members of the council are of British
nationality, but there is usually one
American member. At the present
time an American, Sterling Fessen-
den, happens to be the chairman. 1t
Is a position that carries with it
large amount of prestige, so that
when a new consul of any nationality
arrives in Shanghai he calls upon the
chairman of the municipal council in
the same way as upon his consular
colleagues
The council is located in an i'm
posing stone structure occupying a
whole block opposite the cathedral.
These beautiful offices We're only re-
Gently completed and form as fine
location for municipal government as
can be found in any large city of
Europe or America. There are offices
for the secretary and his staff, the
Public Works Department, the Tax De-
partment, the commissioner of police,
the Public Health Department, the
chief of the Fire Department and all
other usual branches of municipal ac-
tivity.
The heads Of departments are all
British, receive good salaries, and on
account of their position have a good
social standing in the community.
The taxes collected by this munich
pal council run into several millions
of dollars, and 1t is said that up to
the present time such g. thing as
graft in the administration is entire
ly unknown. 1t is for this reason
model settlement.
What would you think of "a big
race track, golf grounds and tennis
court covering an area of 20 city
blocks right in the heart of New
York, for instance at Times Square.
where Broadway and. Forty-second
street come together? That is what
there Is in Shanghai. The land was
granted to the Jockey Club for this
purpose generations ago, when the
city was smaller. with the provision
that If 1t was ever used for any other
purpose it should go back 10 the
original owners. The club keeps 1t,
and so the races go on right In the
heart of this municipality.
The spring race week is one of the
great events of the year. In the
United States 1t is not considered
creditable for banker to go to the
races and make bets on the horses.
Here all the banks close, Chinese and
japanese as well as foreign, and on
the three principal days of race week
you cannot cash a check or even de-
posit your money. Every one goes,
and nearly every one bets. The ho-
tells are crowded, and the foreigners
come in from all the settlements up
and down the Yangtze-kiang.
Shanghai has foot ball clubs. tennis
clubs, golf clubs, and all kinds of
sporting associations. There are two
cricket fields, base ball diamond and