Evening star., 1925-06-22
ALL NAT|0NAL|T|ES
CROWD SHANGHAI
Gay Social Center of East
Is Mixing Pot for All
Peoples of World.

Activities of Chinese agitators in
Shanghai, which is, with the possible
exception of Cairo, the most cosmo-
politan city in the world, direct at
tention to the picturesque setting of
this exotic hybrid of East and West,
says a bulletin from the Washington
headquarters of the National Geo
graphic Society.
Approaching the city from Woo
sung, its port on the Hangtze River,
the villages. graveyards and anchored
ships of all kinds become more numer-
Gus as one nears the wharveS. The
hum and roar of factories and cotton
mills belle the real atmosphere of this
metropolis of central China. 1t is not
until the heavy, half sickening smell
OF bean oil, incense, opium smoke and
of human beings penetrateS the nos
trilS that the true ASiatic flavor of the
city is revealed.
Motor Launches and Junks.
although the quaint kiaugsu iunks
are rapidly disappearing, the cargo
junks, sampans and speedy slipper
boats still vie with the motor launches
nj huge steel and wooden vessels from
every port on the globe.
Shanghai. like Venice is a city
built largely upon piles sunk far into
the soft black sand and saturated
clay upon which the city rests along
the banks of the Hwang-p River.
Huge reinforced concrete RATS are
buried in this clay and the founda-
tIonS of the buildings are laid on them.
THE foreign settlements are delight
fully modern, with plenty of space.
light and air, and are as clean and
orderly as Occidental cities. The
French maintain their own concession
under a government separate from
that of the other 90 powers. with
their own language and the 'rues.'
'qua1s and other signs typical of the
homeland.
Old and New Shanghais.
In striking contrast is the old
Shanghai, where most of the Chinese
live. Going through the gates of the
native city. one passes into another
century. Old temples, cramped court
Yards, where Towering peonieS and
ChrySanthemums can be glimpsed in
passing. and an endless succession of
narrow streets, hung with rocco ban
nerS OF Chinese characters, and filthy
and reeking with thousand odors diff
terentlate 1t at once from its smaller
modern cousins but short distance
away
"A tea house set in the middle of
places of the old city, where sellers of
1ade and cheap jewelry. letter writer's,
fortune tellers. cobblers. members ped
dlers, Jugslers and others of Shang-
hairs polyglot population gather over
teacups or chatter endessly in high
pitched voices. The Chinese theater
is another native oddity. The want of
scenery. the din of the orchestra and
the piercing intonationS and gaudy
costumes 81,
tacle which, while not always pleasing
TO Western tastes, is always Colorful
and unusual.
Gay Social Center.
"Shanghai's sobriquet. the Paris of
the East refers more to the gayety
Of its social life than to any external
resemblance to the French capital. 1t
is not nearly so picturesque as Hong.
kong, or that queen of Oriental beauty.
Foochow. Shanghai cannot set out
thousand lanterns on a dozen hills
l 800 feet up into the night, as Hong
kong can, but her more intimate house
| and garden decorations are famous
There are lanterns everywhere; Ger
tain types are used as shop signs,
and with their non-sputtering, cold tai
low candles they shed d perfect light
Bubbling Well road is the River
side Drive, the Champs ElySees or the
Rim gstrasse of the foreign settlements
Along this winding modern thorough
fare a panorama of the city's life
passes in review. Once the resort of
|closed broughams and fine cars of for
eign dignitaries, it now rattles with
anything than can go on wheels. and
the rickshaws and wheelbarrows of
the natives, darting in and out among
the carriages. taXis and limousines
furnish gay and molly spectacle all
|day long.
although the Settlements were