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COPY.
Sir,
Conclosure!
4023
465A
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMER OS.
Hongkong, 31st. March, 1917.
The question of return to the East of Volunteers who have left to serve their country on the various battle fronts upon the cessation of hostilties has been occupying the attention of this Chamber recently, and although perhaps at present it my be looked upon as somewhat premature to bring forward this matter, it is considered a question of the utmost importance and one that should be dealt with without delay.
The problem of the disbandment of the surplus men of the Army is probably occupying the attention of the Military Authorities now, and it therefore seems appropriate that Eastern Merchants should seek to convey to the Authorities the grent importance of the early release of the trained men of their staff who have joined or about to join the forces at Home.
It is fully recognised by the belligerents that China is an eminently suitable field in which to push the trade struggle which must inevitably follow the present war, and should ♣ the Germans now interned in Australia be repatriated to the Far East, they are likely to be much better equipped in the matter of staff than the majority of British houses, if the latter are not immediately reinforced by their trained assistants who have joined the forces. British trade so long as British houses are short- handed will also be handicapped in competition with American, Japanese, Dutch and other Neutral competitors whose staffs have not been depleted.
The following telegraphic reply was received by a firm here from their Head Office in London to an enquiry as to what attitude the Military Authorities would adopt in the matter of men returning promptly after the War:-
"Utterly impossible estimate. Believe likely
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