The St. Louis Republic., 1901-10-20
JAPAN'S NEWEST WOMAN
TELLS OF JAPAN'S CLUBS.
MADAMs HARUKO HATOYAMA, WIFE
OF THE NOTED STATESMAN,
SAYS HER SISTERS ARE
PROGRESSING RAP
IDLY.

W Ri IIF.N FOR TILE SUNDAY REPUBI.lC.
The newest woman in Japan is Nine. Ha-
ruko Hatoyama. organizer Of a score OF
feminine clubs in the Chrysanthemum
Kingdom. and chief exponent OF the ''un-
quiet sex" of the Orient world.
Women" she said. even Japanese wom-
en-, are growing tired Of being merely or
namental. Like advanced women over all
the rest of the world. we are beginning to
feel that our highest destiny is not to be
ornamental. but useful and helpful
New Japan is closely linked with the
name OF Hatoyama. Nine Hatoyama's hus-
band, Mr.. kasao Hatoyama, IS indeed, ono
OF the chief exponents OF the reconstruction
policy now being pursued in that country.
He has been for ten years a member of the
House of Representatives of Japan. and
was at one time its -peaker.
He is Professor of Law in the University
4 OF Toxic and president Of the State Sem
nom Sakko, where 5000 young men are
students of law, literature and political
science. Mr.. Hatoyamas mission to this
country is to deliver q series OF lectures
upon Japanese law before the Yale Law
School.
1t was in her room at the waldorf-As-
toria that Mime. Hatoyama was found a
few hours after her arrival from Washing
ton. Like all good club women, she Is
n,
no exception.
Il am just making out a report to ops
OF my clubs at home.' she remarked. look
ing up from botting pad and paper
Ihere IS so much TO report, you know; so
many things of interest to tell my stay
at-home sisters. that 1 dare not trust to
memory. SO / make out my reports daiIy.''
Nine. Hatoyama wore a soft grav Ian.
anese robe. sombre, richly embroidered
lbo folded about her little waist She looked
Ike child playing grown up" with mo-
,hers gown-barely feet tall. with tiny
iohg-hngered hands. on which shown sew
etai shimmering jewels. and with little
White-slippered feet that peeped in and out
as she moved about the room
Yes, yes. she said. softly, I'VE have
new women In Japan. With new Japan'
came the new women We had our be-
ginning about twenty years ago-such a lit
.ie oeg1nning-just handful Of women who
believed that we had as much right to do
velop our minds and bodies as had our
brothers. And now, why, you will hardly
oeneVe II. We have tens and tens of thou
SANDS OF what you call new women and
we nave all manner Of societies or what
you would call clubs
hme. Hatoyama's slanting dark eyes
grew orlght with enthusiasm as she talked.
we have now, oh SO many societies" she
went on. Let me count on my fingers vhat
'hev are: but haven't fingers enough. I'm
AFRAID There's first the Japan Society for
the Culture Of Women, and there is the
Women's Society for Promoting Health the
Moman's educational Society, the woman's
Society for Helping Destitute Sick Children
the Women's Temperance Association the
Woman's Information Bureau. the wom-
ans Sympathy Society. tho women's Union.
the Women's Association. the Ladies' AS
sociat1on Tor Training RED Cross Nurses
the Women's Physical Culture Society, the
Society for Improving japanese Dress and
the Url Association"
The little woman was quite out of breath
when she had named over this roster Of
clubs. all Of which claim her as a member
end leader, and q number Of which she her.
self organized
Probably the most interesting of all the
ne" woman movements OF Japan Is the
Japan society Tor the Culture Of Women,
which is based pretty much on the same
principle as our own Chautauqua Society.
1t was organized about SIX years age"
said Mime. Hatoyama, "and now It boasts
a membership of something more than 600
women. mostly residents OF provincial
towns and villages scattered throughout the
length and breadth of the kingdom It is
designed to help those women and girls OF
small means who are anxious for a liberal
education. but have not the means or the
time to pursue courses Of study in our nor
NAL schools and universities.
"A society Of this kind was a boon to such
women. We employed the best authorities
on literature. drama, art, science and
mathematics to get US up special courses
in these respective branches, and these
courses we issued In the form Of magazine
end periodical literature. membership fec
hbf what would amount to Is cents per
fmonth in your money was charged, and
i've years made the length OF the tuition
TT has worked wonders for the women of
japan II has aroused an appetite for
knowledge among q class OF women who
have boen hitherto content with the merest
fudiments OF knowledge, women whose
sphere from time immemorial had been
confined strictly to . knowledge Of the arts
Of housekeeping and homemaking. with lit
tie or no insight into the rich legacies of
poetry and drama with which our country
fairly taemA"