The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-01-07
Young Tacoma AdUentllrers Thrill
To Mysterious Shanghai, Hongkong

OF this fall evening in 1855 Famed
round the world for It's night hfe,
esharets running the gamui 81
racial groups. we naturally felt Il
cur duty 70 get in At least one
spot
We took enc the Metropolis A
modern pile OF structural glass
and neon lighting. il vas perhaps
the most revealing aspect Of our
visit A great sikh swung the
door Tor Us and We entered an
atmosphere made up Of strains OF
American swing. oriental perfume
by the gallon. swept OVER us.
Editor l. Glum
A great oval dance floor Ut
from beneath With neon az green
and blue hues. And clustered around
this recessed bowl. dozens Of little
table
At thes- tables no cover charge
in ShanGhafs eabarets. - two
hundred-odd Chinese girls host
esses for an evening Of dancing
With Shanghai dollars trading 62a
10 one L. S. we felt quite wealthy,
three dances for each shanghai
dollar and beverages. Of course
We had visions OF palm-shaded
shores down there under the equa-
tor Bali and Java or We might
have squsndered the balance Of our
cash reserves in this very club.
The following day brought so
briefly. however. and We inter
viewed the editor of the North
China Daily News. Britains very
reputable and powerful news-organ
of the Far East. Mr Grffen paint
ed a somber picture FOR European
business prospects eentcred IN
China his own staff having been
cut ACC in the past eight months
Two Armies On Duty
Then back TO our ship. across
notorious Soochow creek, with its
killed Scotch pipers on watch.
bit of Britain's color and tradition
transported half across the world
as it were and then on the bridges
other extremity. the keen-cyed
japanese sentries.
Our little British Austin buzzed
hastily through 1t all and swung
US onto the pier in Is minutes of
sailing time.
From deck we gazed on that
incredible mass that IS Shanghai.
Down on the river, ever-present.
ever under-foot. and yet ever-neg-
lected, those thousands Of Chinese.
living out their lives on "pictur-
esque" sampans and junks, living.
fighting for life, and dying on the
Whangpoo.
Sikhs On Guard
From Hongkong 10 Shanghai.
some 500 miles of pirate infested
coast. At Shanghai we took on a
dozen great Sikh troopers Tur-
baned heavily armed. they repre-
resented Britain's gesture towards
discipline on the South China seas.
These chaps spend the months ira
versing this coast. an honor guard.
yet very efficient and realistic
group. in event of pirate trouble.
And then Hongkong. situated on
its magnificent island, scant
channel separating it from kow-
loon and the mainland. A city one
never forgets.
Piling in marble blocks and
masses to the peaks ringing its
oval harbor. We entered at dawn.
passed quarantine - our cholera
and smallpox certificates were the
most important documents at this
point-by ferry we rushed across
to Hongkong
Look for Bikes
Hongkong gave US a real taste
of British hospitality, which is de-
servedly famed
Armed with letters Of introduce
ton to Dodwell q Co, the eminent
British trading firm, we were on
the trail OF British bikes, the best
our limited means could purchase.
Our original intention Of picking
up bikes in Japan had fallen by
the wayside, with discovery of the
fact that Japan's scant metal sup
ply was being devoted to war
time uses -that Japan was not
turning out the justly reputable
bikes she had formerly.
Too, we wanted three speed hill
gears on our equipment.
for Bali and Java are VIGOROUSLY