The Coolidge examiner., 1933-03-17

prepared Ey NdLl0Hal bFfPEf = p4A4G CNNtNASs
Washington. y. C.-W%U Service.
ITO SHANGHArS already COM
pick newspaper world was re-
u Gently added another foreign
language paper - the Deutsche
Shanghai Zeitung. which as its
name implies. is printed in German.
Two British. two American. many
Chinese. n French. and other for
eign language newspapers in addi-
tion To the German language paper
are an index TO the cosmopolitan
aspect of the city. This aspect, too.
is shown in the city's latest census
where are recorded peoples Of fifty
foreign nationalities. and Chinese
speaking nearly all the numerous
dialects of China.
:. Shanghai is the greatest seaport
in the Far East and emporium to
one-eighth of the human race. A
bold skyline OF steel and concrete
now rises where reeds once waved
over marshy fats. The wide Bund.
which throbs with the KALEIDOSCOPE
ic march of motors. electric trans,
and other traffic. extends along the
water front where boat trackers
once beat a narrow footpath. Pa
per lanterns change TO neon lights
for advertising display signs; beside
ubiquitous Chinese cabbage now are
supplies of caviar: from fishing 10
high finance has been the city's
growth.
At the end of the first year after
1t was formally opened as treaty
port. 1913. Shanghai could marshal
for statistical evidence of foreign
enterprise and industry only '-23
foreign residences. one consular
flag, II business firms. and two mis-
sionaries." Today IL domiciles near
ly 60000 foreigners; II consular
flags wave In the Shanghai breezes
and others have representation;
business firms are legion. and the
city is Headquarters for countless
phases and branches of missionary
and other activities.
For q small fishing village. hiding
behind fortifying walls for protec-
tion against the inroads of Japanese
pirates (aided frequently by Chi
nese of the same callingl. and do
ing only limited amount of trade
with coastal junks. to expand and
become the fifth largest seaport of
the world in less than 90 years Is
no mean accomplishment in any
land: but in China this transition is
an even greater marvel.
To find the reason for this re-
markable transformation. one need
not search far. A glance at the
geography of its position reveals
why Shanghai should logically take
rank as China's key seaport.
Ideal Distributing Center.
Its situation. approximately mid
way along the China coast. makes
it at once the most natural distrib-
uting center for extensive trade
with coastal ports: but of far great
Shanghai commands the vital po-
sition for commerce at the very
outlet of the whole Yangtze river
system.
In all the world ii is doubtful
whether there is another equally ex-
tensive region of wealth where the
people depend as solely upon a sim
gle artery of traffic and upon one
entrepot as do the inhabitants of
the Yangtze basin. Approximately
200000,000 people, half of the pop
ulation of entire China, live in this
fertile area. utilizing the river, its
tributaries. and its network of ca
nails as their chief means of COM
munication. Their needs, beyond
those supplied directly or indirectly
by the products of their own hands,
make business for Shanghai.
As ones steamer cleaves the
muddy Yangtze waters and enters
the Whangpoo on the approach of
Shanghai. there is little to indicate
that one is entering China unless
a fleet of native fishing junks hap
pens to be moving out to sea at the
time.
Today the skyline that marks
Shanghai's water front is decidedly
occidental in appearance and most
strikingly impressive-an effect due
in part. perhaps. to its contrast
with the fiat alluvial plain rather
than to the actual heights of the
buildings. Until the present GEN.
tury. low. commodious Chinese
buildings of two-and- three story
structures served ma jority of the
business concerns; but the intro
duction of excellently equipped
modern offices has initiated a period
of extensive building
In a few minutes walk from the
most up-to-the moment districts of
Shanghai. however. one can be in
surroundings that are little altered
since the day when the first foreign